Hidden Garde
by DestinySilverrose17
Summary: Riley knew she was never meant to be normal. She doesn't have a normal life. But when she got legacies things went south. The stories her father told her growing up seem to be repeating themselves. But the mogs are the humans now. Now with an old friend back in her life and the discovery of a refugee camp can she keep herself safe and alive? Especially when humanity finds its cure?
1. Chapter 1

It all started when her granola bar floated up off the counter while she was getting ready to rush out the door. Before any of her siblings or her dearest mother could see she snatched it out of the air. She darted out of the door and ran for the bus, not letting any of her other siblings know it was here. Correction they are her half-siblings. Riley had a different father than the rest of them. He wasn't a deadbeat like her stepfather. Yes, he was a busy man but at least he made time for her when she went out to see him. Floating granola bars shouldn't phase her because of her father and his job. It was the fact that he wasn't around to make things levitate that worried her because that meant it was her that did it. She didn't want to make things levitate. Most teens probably would find that amazing and cool that they developed superpowers but she didn't want them. She knew exactly what happened to those people. They pretty much lose any right to be a human being and will always have someone after them the rest of their lives. If anything she planned on hiding it to the best of her abilities. The first day of being a junior while hiding telekinesis. What could go wrong? Famous last words.

Well, she'd survived September all the way to April without much incident. Well, there was the one time she thought she was going crazy but that was just the rabbit in the prek room crying for help. That was in November and then right around tournament week she almost got caught and sent to the looney bin again.

Tournament week is _the_ worst time to start reading minds. But the art teacher Mrs. Raya, who she spent all afternoon with every day, discovered she was telekinetic in early October and actually didn't report her. Ever since then Mrs. Raya let her use her telekinesis whenever she wanted as long as they were alone in the art room. Riley had to start small and throughout the school year started getting better and more precise.

Originally she'd only been able to move one paintbrush at a time or maybe a paint bottle. Now she can set up for a whole elementary class art project at once, moving various supplies at once. Or cleaning up after a giant project in a previous class. Paint trays and brushes magically float into the sink and bottles fly back into their boxes on their appropriate shelves. While she's cleaning brushes and paint trays, freshly soaked sponges clean the tables. It was awesome. She couldn't wait for this summer where she'd go spend the entire summer with her father.

Although he'd probably laugh that she trained and used her telekinesis to move art supplies all over. She was still working on kneading clay with her mind. Her other gifts wait no legacies is what they're called were harder to train. Today though was Wednesday, she had no play practice tonight and would catch a ride with one of her "friends" and go to youth group. She'd go to Mila's house until youth group probably.

"So nothing remarkable today? You're awfully quiet." Mrs. Raya spoke casually.

"I've just been thinking about what Mrs. Lake's announced in history this morning." Riley shrugged. She kept kneading the clay like nothing changed.  
Mrs. Raya sighed.

"You heard about our speaker tomorrow didn't you? That's what she announced was who was our chapel speaker tomorrow isn't it?"

Riley frowned and punched the clay in frustration. "Yes! That is what has been bugging me all day!" Riley huffed. She looked and noticed she'd punched straight through the clay and slightly dented the table.

"Sorry. I still can't control myself." She apologized. She wiped the clay off her hands.

"Because I could just admit it and I'd get to go live with my father. Also, I'd get away from my pathetic excuse for a family. But I know what happens when you're found out. They go through all sorts of crap with the government. They are practically stripped of their rights and no matter what they'll never be free again. Someone will always either want to be controlled by them or be controlled by someone. It's so unfair." Riley ranted kneading the clay faster and faster.

Mrs. Raya sighed again. "Do you remember Casey?"

"Of course. We've practically grown up around each other. He was a grade ahead of me. When I was in seventh grade bad things happened in May. We were running the mile and he like ran in it in two minutes. Mrs. Altima had him run it again to make sure of it. Agents came to collect him but he'd escaped. He went to the boy's locker room to change and that was the last anyone saw of him." Riley nodded.

"I understand your conflict but you're sure your father couldn't help your case?" Mrs. Raya inquired.

Riley snorted. "If my father could help anyone he'd fix such a corrupted system but he's just one cog in the whole system."

Mrs. Raya nodded in understanding. "Two agents and a spokeswoman are coming tomorrow to speak to us at chapel about what human Garde are and the Human Garde Academy." Mrs. Raya told her.

"Let me guess they're stuck here all day aren't they?" Riley scoffed.

"Yes, they want to stay and observe. See if they can find any here while they're at it." Mrs. Raya solemnly answered.

"No pressure." Riley half-heartedly joked.

Mrs. Raya gave her a small smile. "Just relax. I'm sure you'll be fine. You've done excellent so far."

"With my luck, I'll get another one tomorrow that won't be easy to hide." Riley drawled.

"Feel free to hide in the back room. There's always clay to be kneaded." Mrs. Raya chuckled.

"I think I'll be conveniently sick tomorrow. If I appear on my father's doorstep he'll be excited and furious at the same time." Riley groaned.

* * *

Just her luck the deadbeat was going to be having an important business meeting at home today and everyone needs to go to school, sick or not. He was probably just having a bunch of buddies come over for a poker game or to sit around, scratch their bellies and eat all the food. So sadly she had to go to school.

When she got there though it was most definitely not going to be a typical school day. Mila told her they were separating out classes. Juniors were to go to the gym.

Fun, she could at least watch the boys play basketball for a final time. Or maybe Lawrence would want to play one on one with her. She sucked at basketball but it was just fun to play. There was going to be no chapel, these people were going to interview each high school student one by one. It produced more results than in a group supposedly. She knew she was screwed the minute they called her name. She just needed to work on accepting her death sentence.

"Cheer up. I don't think any of us are what they want. Unless being incredibly immature is a legacy." Mila joked.

Riley chuckled. "Sadly I don't think I've read about that one in the in the big book of legacies at the academy."

"Which would be awesome. Why don't you sound thrilled? You could go live there away from your family." Mila replied.

"Mila, trust me you don't want them to take you. Honest." Riley sighed. She massaged her forehead again. She had a massive headache this morning. Then she saw a mischievous grin peek out into the gym before disappearing from sight.

"I'll be back Mila." Riley absentmindedly told her friend. She got up and ran out of the gym for the elementary wing.

* * *

He was looking out the window when she got there. She managed to smile for the first time today.

"And what brings you here professor Nine?" Riley teased. He chuckled and looked at her.

"Only my students call me that Riley."

She sighed and rubbed her one arm. What a bad combination of words.

"Riley?" Nine started.

She couldn't force the words to come out or even look at him.

"Ri? What's wrong?" Nine softly questioned.

She morbidly stared at her feet. How could she tell him this? Why was it so difficult for her to tell him she was like him even more now? He walked over to her and lifted her face to his.

"Hey, it's okay. Whatever it is you can tell me Ri." He reassured.

She started tearing up at his face. He was completely honest and true in his concern. Loric fall in love for life supposedly. If he'd had her back on his home planet he'd never get to raise her. That was the grandparent's job. It was depressing in a way. But she didn't quite believe that Loric fell in love for life. If they did then her parents would still be married. She was pretty sure though that logic applied to him and her. He'd always loved her, it was a pure and unending love he had for her. Very few people could see that side of him. Many saw his more gruff side, like his students for example.

"It happened." She muttered before burying her face in him in shame.

"What happened Ri?" He whispered into her ear. He wrapped both his arms around her.

"Them. They came. I'm like you." She gasped out between silent sobs.

"Oh Ri". He sighed, resting his head on hers.

"Hey, it's okay. We'll be okay." He soothed. "Can you tell me what and how long?"

"Beginning of school year," Riley mumbled.

"What came first? Was it telekinesis?" He whispered.

She silently nodded. "Then animals started talking and then human thoughts." Riley softly spoke.

"That's called Anima and telepathy Ri." He quietly answered.

"I know their names. I've read Malcolm's catalog." Riley sighed.

"I promise this summer I'll help you train them but please try to keep them under wraps for Linda please." He sighed, running his hand through his shaggy black hair.

"I'll try my best." Riley halfheartedly smiled.

"But be careful with that necklace now please." He sighed, pointing to her necklace he gave her for her tenth birthday. It was a black string with green crystals.

"Why?" She questioned, touching the green stones carefully.

"I'll tell you this summer, Ley. Go back to class before anyone gets wise." Nine suggested.

"This isn't over." She challenged before running back into the gym.

"Oh, Ri if only you knew." He sighed. He could sense the woman was already waiting for him by the other window right on the other side of the trophy case.

"I know how you feel." She spoke solemnly.

"You're positive it'll work?" He questioned.

"I'm sure she'll be safe with them. They've been hiding and training since that fateful accident." She answered.

They talked without looking at each other. They never acknowledged each other in their small conversation.

"I just want my daughter safe. That's all I've ever wanted. I knew someday they'd come." He spoke before walking away.

"Isn't that every parent's wish?" The woman muttered walking back towards her classroom.

* * *

Riley half-heartedly listened to Mila as she waited. She was fidgeting again and couldn't stop. She would be last because they were going in alphabetical order. Riley Worthington was the last one. She knew it was any time now. Mila was only a few last names away from her. She was Mila Small. So far everyone was normal. One of the guards came into the gym again.

"Riley Worthington." He called.

She froze in place. Her blood ran cold at the sound of her name. She forced herself up and across the gym to the guard. She followed him up to the office.

"Go right on in." The peacekeeper ordered.

She saw Linda waiting for her in Mr. Printwell office.

"Come on in Riley," Linda called.

Riley put her hands in her pockets to keep them from shaking. She knew Linda, she was the therapist at Human Garde academy. Linda had pretty much watched Riley grow up, for she spent every summer with her father at the academy. It was the custody agreement between her mother and father.

"I presume no introductions are needed, Riley." Linda joked.

"No." Riley nervously chuckled.

"So how's your family?" Linda inquired, steepling her fingers on the desk.

"Normal." Riley shrugged.

She squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. She'd been timing her classmates. This went anywhere between ten and fifteen minutes. She just needed to last that long. But sadly she couldn't shut off her telepathy. It kind of had its own ideas.

 _She seems nervous. Wonder what's making her so uncomfortable?_

Fantastic. This woman was on to her. Play it cool. Play it cool. How long had she already been in here?

"Riley, are you feeling uncomfortable in here?" Linda questioned, her gaze seemed to be searching for something to grasp onto. Find some crack to wiggle into.

"No." Riley simply answered.

"Is there trouble at home? Are you feeling left out?" She was definitely searching for something now. Trying to trip her up.

"No"

"Are you having any difficulties in school?"

"No"

"Problems with your friends?"

"What friends?"

Linda smiled in success Riley had given her a crack. She silently cursed to herself. She gave the woman something to go on.

Linda frowned in disappointment and wrote on her tablet. Riley squirmed again. When would this be over? She couldn't believe she was actually wishing she was in chemistry class right now.

"Anything different happen recently? Anything unusual?" Linda questioned.

"Absolutely nothing. Everything's been pretty normal." Riley answered with the best smile she could manage.

"You haven't witnessed any objects randomly floating or someone becoming more active suddenly or even hearing voices when no one was talking?"

Riley had to force herself to remember how to breathe.

"No, ma'am. I've only seen things floating around in the academy."

"You're absolutely positively nothing unusual has been happening?" Linda pressed.

What did she think she was digging for?

"Cross my heart and hope to die." Riley nervously joked.

 _She's hiding something. She's suddenly become even more fidgety and nervous._

"Are we done yet?" Riley inquired.

"Why do you feel the rush to leave? There's no need to feel threatened. This is a safe space." Linda reassured.

 _She couldn't be could she? Are legacies really genetic? Maybe it's just normal teenage problems. If only she could tell me what was wrong. Maybe I should go get her father._

"Why did my father come?" Riley asked.

Crap, had the woman spoke that or thought that?

"How did you know your father was here?" Linda raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"I saw him." Riley quickly covered. Woah that was close.

 _How'd she know I was thinking about him when she asked? Is she reading my mind? Could Nine's daughter be telepathic?_

Great, she's suspicious now, Well I'm screwed. Riley morbidly thought.

"Did you talk to your father about anything important?" Linda suggested.

"It was just a quick casual chat." Riley shrugged. Now she was really done for. She'd given the woman a very good fact to latch onto.

"Do you want to be like your father Riley? Some teens are just late bloomers. You still have time to develop legacies." Linda casually explained.

Oh, you have no idea lady. Riley wasn't going to take this much longer. Time to knock her down a few pegs.

"I want to be as brave, noble, and kind as my father but I would never want to develop legacies. If I did I'd end up at the academy. I've heard their children are stripped of their rights and will never be in control of their lives ever again." Riley simply answered. Like she was presenting to the class.

Linda's calm demeanor faded some, what was that surprise or shock on her face? Riley looked at her lap to disguise the smile on her face. Then she realized her right hand was transparent and then gone. Riley quickly pulled her jacket sleeve over it.

What is this karma for dissing legacies and the academy?

 _She is her father's child that's certain._

Linda recovered her composure. "Now Riley you know the goals of the academy is to protect the public and provide a safe place for the human Garde to practice and train." Linda gently scolded.

"Excellent discussion as always. May I go now?" Riley pressed. She pulled her jacket closer to her neck in case her shoulder disappeared next.

"There's just one more thing," Linda replied.

"What?" Riley winced.

"A short physical examination. Please take your jacket off." Linda answered.

Think fast. Think fast. "Why? I'm perfectly fine." Riley blurted. Smooth, very smooth, like the steel wool pads in the art room.

"I promise it's nothing, just a simple examination and we take some of your blood," Linda reassured.

For all Riley knew the minute she took her jacket off her whole right arm could be missing! Of all the days to develop invisibility it had to be today? It had worse timing than Mother Nature!

"Riley, is there a problem?" Linda raised an eyebrow.

"No, No problem at all."Riley quickly answered. Just her right arm might be missing. She slowly took her jacket off, left arm first then right. Linda gasped when Riley's right arm wasn't there.

Yep, she's toast.

"I thought so." Linda smiled, putting her tablet down.

"Yes, it's very annoying." Riley retorted, rolling her eyes.

She planned to go down fighting. Linda grabbed a portable before Riley could stop her.

"Found one." She spoke into it.

Almost instantly the two peacekeepers opened the door and stepped in. Riley felt ready to throw up.

"Sorry, my friends but no." Teased a male voice. "Sleep."

Both peacekeepers dropped to the ground. A tall, buff teenage boy stepped in. He had shaggy black hair tied back in a messy ponytail and intense green eyes. Linda went to protest but he stopped her.

"Sleep." He commanded pointing at her.

She collapsed back into the chair. He grabbed Riley's arm and pulled her out. A smaller more slender girl sat at the entrance of the office. She had short and wavy black hair and hazel eyes. She sat in the weirdest wheelchair Riley had ever seen.

"Hit it!" He commanded.

"Everything off!" The girl hollered, motioning down with her hands. Suddenly everything went dark. He grabbed the handles and they all went down the hall.

"Who are you?" Riley asked as they fled down the darkened hallway.

"The calvary. Hold your questions." He quickly replied.

Something in the back of her head screamed that he was familiar. They hit the elementary wing full speed. Riley telekinetically grabbed her bag. The boy grabbed it with one hand and slung it on his shoulder. He let the girl proceed ahead of them, the girl spinning her wheels as fast as possible.

"Riley!" Nine called. He was back by the windows.

"I'm sorry. It just happened." Riley looked at her feet.

"It's okay. You'll be safe with them. Take this with you though." He placed a small velvet pouch in her hand.

"I love you." She told him hugging him quickly.

"I love you too Ri. To Lorien and back." He replied, wrapping her in his

embrace.

"To Lorien and back." She answered.

"Come on we gotta go." The boy insisted.

With tears in her eyes, she turned away from her loving father and ran after the boy. Once outside he tossed a yellow crystal to the girl. She caught it and sat ready. He put both straps of Riley's bag on and without asking scooped Riley up like a sack of potatoes.

"Let's blow this popsicle stand." He told the girl.

Then he took off. Well, the girl's wheelchair with the touch of a button compacted into a backpack and she took flight. They could both fly. This was definitely not how Riley saw her day going. Not at all.

 **I apologize for the lack of page breaks, I had cool looking stars and moons as my page breaks but I just noticed they didn't transfer so sorry but I did put line breaks in now. Sorry. I appreciate the reviews I've already gotten. Thanks 😁**


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

They put down in a forest after a while. The boy put her down gently.

"I'll report, you charge this." The girl replied, tossing him a pale yellow stone.

Almost instantly the girl's backpack exploded back into a wheelchair. He caught it and chuckled.

"Your partner in crime waiting on the other end?"

"Of course." The girl scoffed. "Without her on the other end.."

"Yeah yeah yeah the thingy won't work properly. I know." The boy groaned, toying with the crystal.

"It'll work because I have the important part. But if she isn't on the other end I'll just be talking to myself." The girl corrected. She talked to him like he was an imbecile. "The thingy is called macrocosm/red crystal communication system by the way." She smirked, a teasing finger pointed at him.

"Who are you? Why help me? What do you want with me?" Riley demanded. Over the past few months, she'd become stronger and faster like her father. That she thinks is called enhancements. Still legacies or not she was still good at physical combat.

"I am hurt, actually hurt that you don't recognize me." The boy teased.

The boy placed a hand on his heart and fake pouted. Riley cocked her head at him in confusion.

"Imagine me with shorter hair and less muscle." He suggested.

She looked at him and actually imagined he was one of her drawings and adjusted his features. The wheels started turning in her mind, a teenage boy with short messy black hair, mischievous green eyes, and a lopsided grin.

Nah, draw his hair to hang in his face a little bit and cover his eyes. That was one of Mrs. Rose's pet peeves when boys did that. She'd threaten to go after them with pinking shears.

Wait a moment.

She remembered sneaking around the gym and hearing her yell at a boy. A boy with messy black waves hanging in his eyes and a cheesy smile on his face. She remembered him pulling that face for every teacher over the years. She remembered being on the receiving end of that cheesy smile too. She rubbed her eyes and looked again.

Impossible. It couldn't be, could it?

"Casey?" She questioned in disbelief.

"In the flesh." He bowed.

"How'd you find me?" Riley inquired.

"You can thank my mother. She worried about anyone else being caught. Then she made contact with your father and he knew you wouldn't make the day. He knows you've inherited his bad luck." Casey explained casually.

"Feeling the love." Riley retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Although I'm impressed that given your heritage you didn't develop your legacies sooner or get busted a lot sooner." He smirked.

"Shut up." Riley teasingly shoved him.

"How old was he? 12? 13?" Casey joked.

"Your point?" Riley huffed. She sat back on her heels and crossed her arms in defiance.

"That I can't believe I just found out that he of all people is your father. So it's not the waste of flesh that was yelling you at the art show? Or the play?" He inquired, a giant grin on his face.

"That's my stepfather, you dolt." Riley snapped. She reached forward and smacking him.

"Alright, you two, who's her father?" The girl sighed.

"I think you know him Gia. Your parents are friends with him." Casey taunted.

"One of the original Garde?" Gia raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Yes, my father is the one and only professor Nine." Riley sighed. Gia wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"So how's my mother?" Casey questioned, trying to prevent Gia from exploding.

"She misses you. Other than that fine." Riley answered with a shrug.

"Okay." Casey nodded. Riley couldn't grasp how much he'd changed in 4 years.

"If you two are done." Gia huffed. She pulled out a red crystal from her actually bag and held it in both hands,

"Come in Sunshine. You there?" Gia spoke into the crystal. It lit up in response.

"Adel, they're doing it again." A female voice replied.

"That means there's gonna be someone on the other end. The red crystal has been activated." Another female voice spoke.

"Kat? Adel?" Gia questioned, cocking her head in confusion.

"We were starting worry that we were going to have to tell boss lady that Casey had gone and gotten himself and Gia captured by Earth Garde. You know she'd kill him but enjoy the challenge." The second female voice answered.

Casey chuckled. "That's not showing any sign of respect for your elders Adel."

There was laughter on the other end. "So you got one?"Adel questioned.

"It's a girl. Riley Worthington. She'll be bunking with us." Gia replied. Riley looked confused. Casey smirked again.

"Don't worry it's just because of your father."

"Okay?" Riley questioned, still completely lost.

"I recommend you hold your position for now. We're in the process of bugging out." Adel told them.

"Where we going?" Gia questioned.

"I still don't know. Let's see. Hey Henri!" Adel hollered.

They didn't hear anything for a moment.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen I'm back. Henri doesn't know where we're going either. But he did tell me boss lady is busy directing the relocation of the mess tent and cooking pit. Emma should be somewhere around the tents helping take them down so ask her." Adel replied. "Speak of the devil. Be right back. Hey Emma!"

Casey chuckled. "Wow, she must've had too much coffee this morning."

"Ya think?" Gia quipped.

"Emma honestly doesn't know exactly where we're going either. But if you hold your position and we'll tell her your position she'll get her sister to send a teleporter your way as soon as one is available. Moving the camp takes priority over you folks." Adel replied.

"Kat, be very careful when packing my things." Gia reminded.

"Your sis just rolled her eyes at you," Adel replied.

"This ain't my first rodeo!" Kat hollered.

"Sit tight folks. You might have to wait an hour or two." Adel suggested.

"Stay safe Adel, keep an eye on Kat for me," Gia replied.

They heard someone scoff on the other end.

"Will do Smiley, Sunshine out," Adel spoke.

Then Gia put the crystal back in her bag. Riley decided against questioning the nicknames.

"So care to explain how you folks know each other? Or why Nine never mentioned to the others he had a child?" Gia questioned.

Riley sighed. She ran a hand through her messy black hair.

"It's a long story."

* * *

It had been hours since they'd landed here and they all were entertaining themselves in their own ways. Gia was toying with a small yet smooth black stone. Casey was toying with a smooth yellow stone, he put it on his forehead at one point. Riley had finished a sketch of her father and decided to dig in her pocket for the small pouch he gave her.

She emptied it out onto her lap. There was a small red stone, a green ball, a small black stone, and a folded note. She unfolded the note first.

 _This is what is left of my inheritance, the stuff from my chest. These things come from Lorien so take good care of them. Your necklace is also from my chest, I gave it to you years ago so that you'd always be protected. I wish I could be there to help you train your legacies and learn how to use these objects but it must be some invisible tradition to have someone else train your child. I hope to see you again Ley. Hopefully under better conditions than when I gave you this. I love you Ri, never forget that. I love you to Lorien and back._

Riley held the note to her chest and already felt the tears coming.

"I love you to Lorien and back too." She mumbled.

Casey looked at her. "You okay?" He gently questioned.

Riley wiped the tears out of her eyes.

"I'm fine." She quickly brushed him off.

"Present from your father? I saw him give you something before we left."

Casey sat down next to her. Riley showed him the three objects.

"Do you know what any of this is?" She asked him.

"This I know is a healing stone. Gia is playing with hers right now." Casey answered.

"The Xitharis stone is also mine. Which you need to give back." Gia reminded.

Casey tossed the waxy yellow stone back to her. Gia caught it and placed in her pocket. Riley grabbed the red stone.

"What do you do?" She mumbled.

Like it was a pencil she started twirling it with her fingers. She placed it between her knuckles and showed it to Casey again. Except it gave off a light that showed the bones in his face. With a cry of alarm, she dropped it.

"What?" Gia impatiently huffed.

"It showed his bones." Riley blurted.

"Cool X-ray stone." Casey chuckled.

"My father told me the story about John saving him from the mogadorian cave in West Virginia. But he gave this stone to Sam and Sam was captured and left behind. How did he recover it?" Riley thought out loud.

Casey shrugged. "Luck?"

Riley moved to play with the green ball. She tossed it from hand to hand. Gia let out an irritated groan when Riley screamed again.

Although this time it was a cry of pain. The green ball had deployed spikes. Casey very carefully pulled the ball from her hands, careful to avoid the spikes. Riley's hand started oozing blood. Casey sighed and grabbed the black stone from Riley's collection.

"This is gonna hurt." He advised before placing the stone on Riley's bleeding hand and placing his hand on top the stone.

Riley let out a scream of agony, her whole body tensed in response. Then it was all gone. Casey pulled the stone away to reveal a perfectly healed hand.

"Healing stones when used double the pain of the original injury. I'm surprised it worked. Usually, the injury had to be inflicted with intent to harm or kill not stupidity." Gia coldly explained.

Riley glared at her. "I'm sorry, do you have a problem I'm not aware of?" She impatiently snapped.

"Nope, it's just how can you be Nine's daughter but not know to be careful with our parent's trinkets? Or not know how to use any of them? If you're truly his daughter how can you be so oblivious?" Gia demanded.

"Our parents? Excuse me? Name your number then oh wise one." Riley retorted.

"Six." Gia sharply answered.

"I'm sorry you actually got to be raised by both your parents. Or that both of your parents actually gave a crap about you. What an awful existence that must've been for you." Riley drawled.

Casey stifled a laugh. He'd never seen this side of her. Gia rolled her hazel eyes.

"Oh am I supposed to feel sorry for you? Tough cookies chic. Do you know what our parents went through growing up? Your pathetic tale is nothing compared to there's." Gia's voice carried a sharp yet icy edge.

"How about you can the whole mightier than thou act before I knock your lights out?" Riley snarled.

"Bring it chick." Gia hissed.

"Your transportation has arrived." Came a male voice jokingly.

Before he could look around a girl crashed on top of him. Riley looked to see a boy and girl. Both were maybe fourteen or fifteen. The girl had bright red hair pulled back in a braid and the boy had wavy blonde hair sticking out in every direction.

"Really?" The boy asked the girl annoyed. Deep dark blue eyes flashing with irritation. Riley smirked at the scene before glaring at Gia.

"Did we interrupt something?" The boy asked.

"Just Gia biting off more than she can chew, again," Casey replied, giving Gia the look. Gia stuck her tongue out at him.

"Don't mind Gia she's all bark and no real bite," Casey told Riley.

"Well, I'll bite." Riley snapped at Kat.

"So she sent the dynamic duo to get us. How thoughtful of her." Casey smirked.

The boy and girl both laughed.

"Derek and Tia please welcome Riley to our ranks." Casey introduced.

"And do not tick you off. Note taken." Derek quipped.

"Derek." Tia elbowed.

"Siblings?" Riley inquired. Cocking her head at them.

"Actually no. The youngest bloomers on record. Derek, we got three years ago at the age of eleven. Tia comes from an orphanage in Ireland, we got her at age ten a few months after Derek. They're an inseparable pair." Casey explained.

"Alright, they're almost done moving out so let's go," Derek suggested.

"I'll take Riley you take the other two?" Tia questioned.

"Sure." Derek shrugged.

"Next stop Pennsylvania." Tia chuckled.

She walked forward and grabbed Riley's hands.

"See ya there," Derek called.

Then they went, poof. As if no one had been there they left. Leaving the opening in the woods undisturbed, the only remnant was a gust of wind.

* * *

Next thing Riley knew she'd landed in icy cold water. She struggled to find her way to the surface, thankful for all those swimming lessons from her father. Her head finally broke the surface and she gasped for air.

Cold oxygen filled her burning chest providing relief to her body. She started swimming for shore. When she got to the grassy bank she flopped and started coughing up all the water she'd swallowed. Casey pulled himself up onto shore coughing as well.

"Well, that certainly wakes one up." He chuckled.

Riley couldn't believe he was laughing between coughs. Casey was even crazier than she remembered. Gia charged (rolled?) onto the shore seemingly unaffected, except for being soaking wet like the rest of them. She coughed once into her elbow before ringing out her shirt.

"Are you seriously trying to kill me or my contraption, Tia?" She snapped at the river.

Derek's head broke the surface and he started coughing. He was struggling to swim with one arm, his other arm seemed to be dragging something. Casey ran back into the river and rushed to help Derek.

"Get to shore I got her." He ordered. He picked something up out of the water, it was Tia. He rushed her to shore.

"Gia take Riley to your tent and try not to kill her. Derek meet me at the infirmary." Casey commanded. Tia looked awfully pale and small in his arms.

"Not again." Derek sighed. Casey took off in a blur.

"What's wrong with her?" Riley inquired.

"Tia exhausted herself, that's why she misfired and we landed in the river. She also swallowed too much water I think." Derek sighed before running off, not a blur.

"Some people never learn." Gia sighed.

"This has happened before?" Riley questioned.

"Exhaustion isn't unusual. Some people just don't know when to quit." Gia huffed.

She turned to head up the river bank.

"Whatever your deal is with life knock it off. You are not better than everyone else. I don't care if Six is your mother and she's this awesome warrior. We are all the same." Riley argued. "If your family is so spectacular why are you here then?"

"Because my mother sent me away for my own protection. Better than your father." Gia sharply answered.

"What is your problem with him? What did my father ever do to you that was so horrible?" Riley argued.

"Don't play dumb. He's probably already told you." Gia huffed.

"No, I do not remember any mention of him beating a snotty child. I don't recall you ever being one of his students." Riley retorted.

"As if." Gia scoffed. With a wave of her hand, Riley was sent into the river.

"Find your own way to camp." She scoffed.

With the push of another button, Gia's wheelchair deployed legs and two joysticks. Gia "walked" away from her. It was quite possibly the weirdest thing she'd ever seen.

Riley picked herself back up and rung her hair out. She had to thank Mrs. Raya for her bag though. Her backpack might be drenched but at least the pouch inside was waterproof. All her art supplies, her journal, and her book were in there. Riley head in the direction the others had went.

Shortly after leaving the river she saw groups of people pitching tents and forming rows. A girl seemed to be walking the edge of the setup. She had long wavy blonde hair loose down her back. She wore a simple blue maxi dress and seemed to be barefoot. Her blue eyes locked onto Riley and she cocked her head in confusion. Riley held her hands up as a sign she came in peace. The girl seemed about her age for her size, well Riley was still taller than her but same difference. She smiled at Riley and walked over.

"You're the new girl right?" She questioned.

"That's me." Riley nodded.

The girl gave her to examining look before sighing.

"Gia Malarie," she muttered.

"Shoved me back in the river. That is correct. A different girl," Riley never got to finish.

"Teleported you into the river. I knew they should've sent someone else." The girl said as if talking to herself. She saw Riley's confused face and laughed.

"Sorry, my name's Adelina." She greeted, holding out her hand. Riley smiled back and shook the girl's hand.

"Riley."

"Let's get you dried off before you catch a cold. Although you don't actually get a cold from being cold. If that was true I'd always have a cold." Adelina giggled.

Riley laughed. "Being cold lowers your body temperature which makes it easier to catch a disease because temperature affects your immune system." Riley finished.

Adelina looked surprised.

"I had a friend who lectured us on it. Because being cold does not give you a cold." Riley explained.

"I like you. Know your tent assignment yet?" Adelina questioned. Then she smacked herself and laughed. "I'm sorry you probably don't since you just got here."

"Actually Casey told me I'd be in the same tent as Gia," Riley answered. Adelina squealed with delight.

"Excellent! This is going to be so awesome!"

Riley raised an eyebrow at her burst of excitement.

"I'm in Gia's tent," Adelina added.

With that piece of info, Riley looked at the girl in a new light. Could Adelina also have a number for a parent? She couldn't see anything to prove her theory so she filed it away for later use.

"I'll show you our tent," Adelina replied and started skipping into the collection of tents.

People everywhere were setting up tents, always in groups. Adelina lead her expertly through all of them and then past a tent about the size of a trailer. A young woman with hair like cornsilk was directing a team of teens in erecting it. She held a clipboard in one hand and directed with the other.

Riley rushed to keep up with the bouncy Adelina. She lead her to a tent that was barely on the outskirts of the tent area. The tent was a decent size and probably could fit eight people comfortably. It was blue with the loric symbol for six on one flap and then the other flap had the symbols for four and seven. Adelina led her inside the tent.

"Let's find you something dry to wear. Maybe a maxi dress? You're not exactly anyone's size." Adelina spoke. "You take after your father don't you? My father told me that your father was the biggest Loric he'd ever seen." Adelina added absentmindedly.

Riley chuckled. "Your very talkative aren't you?"

"Sorry I talk a lot when I'm nervous." Adelina apologized, she gave Riley a worried look. She toyed with a stray blonde hair.

"Clothes?" Riley reminded.

"Of course," Adelina replied, perking up.

She knelt and dug in one of the chests by a sleeping bag. Riley noticed there were three sleeping bags and stacks of various stuff.

"See if this fits," Adelina suggested. She tossed Riley a wad of green material.

"I promise not to look." She giggled. Riley chuckled and quickly stripped off her soaked clothes. The green dress was smooth and stretchy with thin straps. She kicked her sneakers off followed by her socks.

"Presentable?" She asked Adelina.

The girl laughed and turned faced her. "Don't ask me. I was raised in the mountains far away from civilization."

Riley laughed. This girl had absolutely no filter. "Alrighty, what's next?"

"Want a towel to dry your hair?" Adelina suggested.

Riley sighed and rolled her eyes in annoyance. Here we go.

"Nah I'll just braid it to keep it out of my face." Riley shrugged. She instantly set to work braiding all of it. A second nature of hers.

"I'm sorry if I struck a nerve. Your hair is fine." Adelina quickly apologized.

"I should be the sorry one. You're just trying to help and I instantly snapped at you." Riley sighed. She stopped her braiding and just let her hands drop. "My pathetic excuse for a mother constantly berated me over my appearance," Riley admitted.

"Well, you don't have to worry about her anymore." She reassured. The girl hugged Riley.

 _I can't imagine_ not _having a loving mother._

Riley felt a warm energy enter her body. Just like when Taylor would heal her after an insanely hardcore training session with her father. She missed him already.

"Now let's go see Cecilia. Hopefully, she's in a good mood." Adelina suggested cheerily.


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

They walked back to the big white tent that was being erected earlier. Two blonde little girls came charging out of the tent.

"Adelina!" They cheered.

Adelina knelt to receive them. They both nearly tackled her to the ground.

"Hey guys, what are you doing here?" Adelina asked.

She enveloped the two small children in a giant hug. An older boy with dark brown hair walked out. He couldn't have been more than nine. A young teenage girl, obviously younger than Adelina, walked out with a squirming child in her arms. It was either a large baby or a small toddler. Riley couldn't decide. The girl had brown hair like the boy except it with pulled back in a braid. The squirming child in her arms had the same hair as well. Adelina released the two girls and went to hug the boy.

"How are you doing Hec?" She greeted.

He puffed out his chest. "Keeping track of these ladies. Someone has to protect them from the evil academy officials." He proudly answered.

"Keep it up." Adelina chuckled. She ruffled his brown locks affectionately. Adelina wrapped an arm around the other girl.

"What brings y'all to the camp of rejects, Sarah?" She questioned.

The girl was busy struggling to hold the squirming toddler. Adelina let out a chuckle and relieved the girl by taking the child.

"Are you causing trouble, Lorie?" She teased. She put the small child's face to hers. "Yes you are. You're my little troublemaker." She spoke like a baby.

Riley chuckled. She wondered if these were Adelina's family. They seemed to know each other closely and cared for each other. Like a family should.

"Dad has to give a week-long seminar at the academy and mom went with him. Ella decided we could come visit." Sarah explained.

The lightbulb clicked on. John Smith is a frequent guest lecturer at the academy. He's married to Marina who is number seven. The symbols on the tent slid into place. Adelina and all these children were the sons and daughters of Four and Seven.

"Where's Ella and crew?" Adelina inquired.

"Adelina!" Two boys hollered.

They came charging out of the tent side by side. Both had messy auburn colored hair and brown eyes. If Riley had to guess one was older than the other although they were close in size. They threw their wiry arms around Adelina.

"Hey guys." She greeted.

"Wait up!" Cried a little girl.

She came stumbling out of the tent with a teenage girl in hot pursuit of her. Both of them also had the same features as the boys.

"Got ya." The teenage girl spoke scooping up the little girl.

"I want to see Adelina!" The girl argued, crossing her tiny arms. Riley wanted to laugh that such a small face has such a fierce glare.

"There she is." The teenage girl told her.

Adelina handed the toddler back to Sara and grabbed the argumentative little girl.

"June? Are you giving your sister a hard time?" Adelina inquired.

"No." The girl innocently answered.

"June do you know what happens to little girls who lie?" Adelina questioned. But Riley saw the mischievous glint in her eyes.

"They start floating away because they're full of hot air," Adelina answered. Suddenly the little girl started floating out of Adelina's arms.

"I'm sorry!" The girl pleaded.

"What are you sorry for?" Adelina asked.

"I'm sorry I lied! Now help me!" June cried.

Suddenly she landed in Adelina's arms. "Good girl."

Riley cracked up.

"New girl?" The teenage girl questioned.

"Yep your mother's crushes child," Adelina answered.

"Wow." The girl laughed. Riley raised an eyebrow.

"Daughter of ten otherwise known as Ella." Adelina introduced.

"Riley meet Autumn, Crayton, Timothy, and June. The children of Ella. All of them are normal so far." Adelina explained.

"Hope springs eternal." Autumn countered.

"Then are my siblings. Riley meet Sarah, Hector, Rosetta, Heather, and Lorie." Adelina introduced.

A woman with dark waves spilling down her shoulders walked out.

"Ella!" Adelina squealed. She rushed to throw her lanky arms around the woman.

"Hey Adel." Ella chuckled hugging her back.

Another woman with a brown ponytail and blue eyes walked out.

"Nines daughter!" She called.

Riley sighed. She was forever going to be known as his daughter wasn't she?

"Come on I don't bite." The woman chuckled. Riley followed her into the tent.

Inside was completely unorganized. Furniture was haphazardly placed and boxes stacked all over the place. Riley was lead to the only clear desk. She sat down on one side and the woman sat on the other.

"I'm Cecilia Smith, one of the leaders around here." The woman greeted.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Riley Worthington." Riley nodded.

"Let's get the boring paperwork out of the way. Shall we?" Cecilia suggested. She pulled out a clipboard with paper clipped to it.

Riley chuckled.

"Full name?"

"Riley Lexa Worthington."

"Date of birth?"

"July 9th, 2017"

"Age?"

"Seventeen."

"Height?"

"Six feet six inches."

"Weight?"

"One hundred forty-two pounds."

"Eye color?"

"Blue."

"Hair color?"

"Black."

"Parents names?"

"Stanley Worthington and Elaine Sager."

"City?"

"Rosemary heights."

"School?"

"Rose Cross academy."

"Siblings?"

"None worth mentioning." Riley sharply answered.

Cecilia looked up with a concerned look before continuing. "Relatives?"

"Does a married in worthless piece of scum count?"

Cecilia took note to avoid anymore family related questions.

"On a scale of one to ten how good of a fighter are you?"

"Eight to nine."

"What is your greatest skill?"

"Why the crap you care?"

"Greatest weakness?"

"As if I'd tell you."

"Greatest strength?"

"What's yours?"

Cecilia took note of the sudden refusal to answer the question.

"Greatest fear?"

"This is bull." Riley scoffed. She got up and tore out of there.

"I presume that's the new girl," Ella replied walking in.

"Nine's daughter. Riley Worthington. She's going to be trouble." Cecilia answered. She buried her face in her hands.

"Oh really?" Ella chuckled.

Cecilia gave her a weary look. "Greatest skill was and I quote 'why do the crap do I care?' Greatest weakness was 'As if I'd tell you.' Greatest strength was 'What's yours?' And greatest fear was bull." Cecilia read off her paperwork.

"Family?" Ella inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Siblings aren't worth mentioning and relatives was a worthless piece of scum." Cecilia sighed.

"She just seems like a bright ray of sunshine." Ella quipped.

"I don't think I've met a teen this shut off or aggressive." Cecilia dejectedly replied. "That includes Gia." She added as an afterthought.

"She got a double dose of Six's attitude." Ella shrugged. "But I have seen another teen that acts like Riley."

"Where and when?" Cecilia demanded, slamming her hands on the desk.

"About eighteen years ago a fifteen year old girl was finally caught and dragged to the academy. She was very rude and harsh. But she was strong and could fight her way out of anything." Ella explained casually. She was trying not to smile as she spoke

Cecilia scowled at her. "Your point?" She hissed in annoyance.

"That Riley reminds me of you." Ella simply answered.

"I wasn't that bad was I?" Cecilia inquired.

Ella doubled over laughing.

"Was I?" Cecilia questioned.

* * *

Riley didn't know where she was going but she was so out of there. Except she tripped and uncontrollably rolled downhill. She landed flat on her back in a grassy field. She sat up and saw in the center of the huge field was a lake.

"Easy there tiger." Casey chuckled.

She turned to face him. A small distance away she saw a huge white tent. She gave him her best glare.

"You look like you could bite the tires off of a tractor-trailer." He commented.

"Why on earth did you bring me here? What purpose did that serve besides raising my blood pressure?" Riley demanded.

With a sigh, Casey sank into the grass.

"I'm sorry about Gia, I honestly didn't even think about it. I know Adelina is a lot to handle at first but she'll mellow. I sincerely and honestly apologize for whatever Cecilia did to upset you. She has that effect on people. But I promise things will get better. This place isn't so bad if you give it a shot."

"Do I really have a choice?" Riley sighed in defeat.

"There's always the ever welcoming embrace of the academy," Casey smirked.

"Get outta here." She teasingly punched him in the arm.

"Now I have to fill in Cecilia. And before you ask we co-lead. I was here first. But first I shall locate Katarina and leave you in her capable hands. She's the most normal out of the three." Casey replied with his usual lopsided grin.

"And where pray tell is she then?" Riley inquired.

Casey looked up at the sun. Casey thought about it for a moment.

"I must warn you Katarina is highly skilled at whatever legacy she's using sometimes she uses multiple at the same time," Casey told her.

"The main tent is up, the infirmary is being put together still and she wasn't there, let's check the mess tent. I don't remember if that's up yet and if it is she might be helping set up for dinner. What time is it?" Casey mumbled looking up at the sun. "Yeah she might be it's probably five by now."

"Let's go. I assume there will be food there." Riley agreed.

"Dinner isn't until six." Casey pointed out.

"Darn." Riley huffed.

Casey laughed. "Come on it's this way."

* * *

The mess tent was back near what was called the main tent. It was probably the biggest tent she'd ever seen in her life. The sides had been rolled up so air could flow freely.

A little girl maybe four or five was rushing around setting up a large buffet table. She had a short brown hair just touching her chin and cheerful brown eyes. She wore a purple tank and denim shorts. She was barefoot and giggling with glee. She carried stacks of plates the same size as her and ran back to the table. What didn't seem to fit was the whole stack floated out of her arms and onto the table. Casey chuckled at Riley's face.

"Correct toddlers don't have legacies."

"Then what?" Riley started, head cocked in confusion.

"She is Katarina."

The little girl looked at them in alarm. "How?"

"Toddlers don't have legacies, Kat," Casey answered.

The little girl huffed. "Kat. Please change back." Casey asked her.

"If you insist." The girl huffed.

Suddenly Riley watched the layers of the little girl fade. She'd turned into a little girl with a sandy blonde braid and hazel eyes. Then came the weird part. The girl suddenly started growing, her body aging as it went. Finally, it stopped and now stood a teenage girl with the same features except now she was slim yet muscular.

"Nice is it easier that way?" Casey inquired.

"Aeternus I've always had so it's easier to shapeshift first and then age." The girl answered.

"Riley meet Katarina. Katarina meet Riley." Casey introduced.

"Nice to meet you." Katarina greeted.

"Same." Riley nodded.

"Six meet Nine." Casey quipped.

Riley elbowed him in the ribs.

"I promise she won't kill you for it." Casey pleaded, holding his hands up in a gesture of innocence.

Katarina smiled. "We're all here for the same reason aren't we?"

Riley relaxed a little. She hadn't realized she was holding her breath.

"So when we get to do it?" Kat asked Casey.

"When I finish talking to Cecilia. I presume you'd appreciate coming." Casey chuckled.

"So what's she got so I can start planning," Kat questioned.

"Riley?" Casey passed along the question.

"Telekinesis, telepathy with humans and animals, and invisibility," Riley answered.

"Excellent. Can you control the invisibility?" Kat inquired.

"Not really I just developed it this morning. That's what got me caught." Riley answered.

"Oh I see." Kat sounded slightly disappointed.

"Do what you do best Kat. Riley, make a list for me of all the stuff from your house you want." Casey told them.

"Wait, what?" Riley questioned giving him a confused look.

"Tonight we're going to probably break into your house, get some of your stuff, and then make Earth Garde have good a goose chase," Casey explained.

"That's the best part." Kat scoffed.

"I'll leave you in her capable hands." Casey decided. He mocked saluted both of them with a cheesy grin on his face.

"Cecilia doesn't like waiting ya know!" Kat called as he streaked off.

"So now what?" Riley questioned. Looking at the shorter but just as lean girl.

"I give you a quick tour and then see who we find to entertain you next." Kat casually answered. They started walking out of the camp.

 _Maybe I could locate Henri. No way she'd kill him. Or he'd just die from shock. Maybe Gia? Yikes that's even a worse idea. That'd be interesting to see who killed who first._

"I would kill Gia if I was allowed." Riley quipped. She couldn't help but grin at the look of alarm on Kat's face.

 _Oh crap she did say she was telepathic. How much of it did she read?_

"That sticking me with Henri is a bad idea and finding Gia would be an even worse idea. Which it really is." Riley helpfully answered. Kat sighed, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"So that's where Gia went. She was part of the recovery team that helped you escape."

"Her and Casey," Riley affirmed.

"Was he outta his mind?" Kat snapped, throwing her hands up in frustration.

"Gia was perfectly fine until Casey started harassing me about who my father really is." Riley started.

"Then you became the enemy when she found out your Nine's daughter." Kat finished. She sounded frustrated but there was subtle hint of defeat like this didn't surprise her.

"I'm going to have to have a chat with Casey about doing this." She angrily mumbled.

"Can someone please explain to me what on earth Gia's problem with my father is!" Riley demanded. She had enough of this everyone but she knows everything.

Kat sighed. She ran her hands through her hair. Loose hairs broke free of her braid, she observed that they were curling once they were free.

"Walked with me." She instructed.

They walked out of the mess tent and back towards the lower field with the lake.

"My sister and I have been here for three and half years. She was almost only eleven when she developed telekinesis. I'd already started when I was thirteen. There's a two and half year age gap between us. She started getting careless with her developing legacies. Our father was over the moon when he discovered she could talk to tech too." Then Kat sighed and ran a hand through her braid.

"Gia has been bullied by the other kids most her life. That's why she's so abrasive and defensive. It's a natural defense she has developed. One day a bunch of the kids ganged up on her." Katarina stopped as if trying to find the right words. She folded her hands together and then unclasped them. "Gia got so angry that it was like all her legacies she had then responded full strength. The kids were thrown all over the hallway and everything electronic fried. She managed to even cause a small earthquake. Our parents always assumed it was her telekinesis because she hasn't been able to do it again. They detained her until the Earth Garde officials arrived." She frowned, rubbed her one arm and took a deep breath.

"Our parents and I got there right after them. Gia made a break for it. She ran to us before we could even get out of the car. That's when she was shot with something I'd never seen before. It was like the bullet continued into the back of her thigh until it hit bone and broke it. She got hit twice on her way to our car. I pulled her in and surprisingly we got her to a hospital." Kat rubbed her face as if waking up from a nightmare she could never escape. She took another deep breath before continuing.

"They operated on her legs but it was in vain. Whatever those bullets were they destroyed her hips. The nerves, the bone, the muscles, all of it was beyond repair. All they could do is make her legs look normal. She's been wheelchair-bound ever since. Since that day she lost use of her real legs my sister has nursed a severe hatred for anything to do with the academy." Kat finished. She looked relieved to be done.

"But my father…"Riley started to argue.

"Your argument will fall on deaf ears. It doesn't matter if your father personally ordered them to shoot her or he had absolutely nothing to do with it. He is associated with the academy, therefore, he must be evil." Kat explained.

They walked back to the lake and along the edge of it.

"Eventually this will be the training ground but it's usually set up last due to the fact that it's not immediately necessary." Kat gestured to the field all around them.

They passed a small tent being erected, directed by an angry black haired woman. She wore a dark blue tank and black yoga pants. Kat stopped in her tracks and stared at the woman in disbelief.

"Mother?" She questioned.

The woman froze and turned around. "Hey Kat." The woman smiled.

"What are you guys doing here?" She asked, moving to hug her mother.

"Lexa has a special target for the camp. Your father and I are here to deliver the info and help as much as we can." Six explained.

"Where's Malcolm and Malarie?" Kat inquired, breaking the hug and looking at her mother.

"With Ella's tribe of children." Six replied.

"Dad?"

"Your father is with Gia helping her set up her technology." Six answered. Then she shifted her gaze to Riley.

"I presume your newest addition of Nine's daughter is what has her upset." Six added.

"Is it really that obvious?" Riley groaned. This was getting ridiculous.

Six laughed. "I don't blame you for being annoyed at having him as a father." Six teased.

"Excuse me? My father is the most wonderful person on this earth. I love him more than anything else on this planet. Don't doubt it ever again." Riley argued, her muscles tensed ready for action.

"Impressive." Six smirked.

"Mother," Kat warned.

"Relax I was just picking on her." Six chuckled.

"Now come on Riley I'm going to need your help getting a lay out of tonight's target," Kat spoke. As if she'd just remembered Riley was here or maybe wanted to get her away from her mother.

"Of course." Riley nodded.

They headed back to the tents in silence. Riley was relieved to be away from that woman. Six gave her jitters. But Riley did manage to get one thought out of Kat whether the girl knew it or not she didn't know. _The unity tents gonna be crowded tonight._ Riley could even sense the humor in that thought. Like Kat found it comical.

* * *

Riley had never been camping before so she didn't have the slightest clue how they were making dinner but she followed Adelina, Katarina, and Gia to the mess tent. Riley wondered if she should turn Gia's dirty looks into a drinking game. The girl was giving her one every few minutes the whole way to the mess tent. Don't get her started on how many times the girl gave her one when they sat down at a table. Riley could understand why the girl was so bitter and hateful towards the academy but seriously how long was she going to keep it up? They sat near the head table and near the buffet table. At the head table was Cecilia and Casey. A large table was on the other side of the head table and around it was Ella, Six, Sam, and a bunch of children.  
Casey whistled sharply and the tent fell silent.

"Thank you." He smiled. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.

"Today was a busy day for all of us. We had to relocate the entire camp and I'd like to thank all of you who helped in my absence."

There was a round of applause.

"This morning Gia and I infiltrated Rose Cross Academy and rescued another child from the clutches of the academy. I'd like all of you to give a warm welcome to Riley Lexa Worthington! The only daughter of Nine!" He announced. There was no applause this time, except Casey.

"Riley please rise." He gently asked.

Riley stood up and there were some applause and booing. Gia even booed her before getting elbowed by her sister.

"Also tonight I'd like to welcome Ella all her children and John Smith and Marina's children for being here."

Riley should've been offended that everyone applauded that.

"Lastly Six, Sam, and their twin children are here. Six and Sam are here to help in a very important mission coming up this week. Now dig in!" He cheered.

Everyone rushed to the buffet table. Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and hot rolls, water was the only drink. Gia spent all of dinner-giving her dirty looks. Riley felt ready to explode at the girl again. The last straw was when a meatball hit her on the forehead.

"Alright that's it! I am not the academy and my father is innocent. Get that through your thick skull!" Riley demanded, slamming her hands on the table.

Adelina yelped, dropped her fork and scrambled to retrieve it. Kat sighed and continued staring at her dinner.

"So you do know what his people did!" Gia snapped, slamming her hands on the table. Adelina squeaked and lost her fork again.

"And my father is ashamed of the officers that did that to you," Riley added.

It was a complete lie but she didn't need to know that. Gia glared at her but Riley saw the slightest hint of doubt on the girl's face.

"Adelina?" Kat questioned, shooting her little sister a death glare.

"Yeah?" Adelina whimpered, she looked incredibly uncomfortable currently.

"Any plans for the evening?" Kat casually asked.

Riley wanted to laugh, Kat was changing the topic.

"Maybe washing my hair? I don't really know yet." Adelina shrugged. She looked frightened like she'd prefer to be anywhere but here, maybe a chemistry class?

Kat glared at a stewing Gia before opening her mouth.

"Casey and I have to meet up again and finish discussing tonight's plans. So can you," Kat stopped as if she was trying to pick just the right words.

"Help Riley settle in." Kat finished, shooting her sister another look.  
Kat earned a glare from Gia.

"Sure she can come with me." Adelina shrugged.

"Don't wash your hair," Kat told Riley.

"Why?" Riley asked completely lost.

"Can't say yet. Just don't do it." Kat answered.

Riley raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"I'm pretty sure I can tell you tomorrow," Kat added.

"Does it have to do with why our family made a sudden appearance?" Gia sharply questioned, glaring at her spaghetti. Kat sighed like she didn't have the patience, sanity, or energy to dignify her sister's question.

"I'll ask Casey if I can tell any of you tomorrow about it," Kat repeated. Then they settled into an uneasy silence for the rest of dinner.

* * *

The tent was pretty much empty for them. Although Riley noticed a fourth sleeping bag had been added. Adelina was digging in a chest by a sleeping bag with two blankets. The one was a fuzzy blue blanket and then the other one was an Afghan blanket of blue, green, and gold. She pulled out a small bag and then sank to the ground with her legs crossed. Riley sat down on the fourth sleeping bag and watched her. She pulled out a hairbrush and a few hair ties.

"So whatcha doing?" Riley awkwardly asked. She honestly didn't know what to do currently.

"I thought we could talk. That's what my mother and I did so I thought maybe," Adelina started. She looked just as nervous and uncomfortable as Riley.

Riley managed a small smile "Sure. Which one of us goes first?"

Adelina patted the grassy ground next to her. Riley crawled over and sat next to her. Adelina squirmed uncomfortably like she wanted to say something but couldn't.

 _I don't know what'd she say about it after earlier. Maybe if I just casually asked? Ugh why can't I just spit it out?  
_

"What is it, Adelina?" Riley questioned.

"When we talked we usually brushed each other's hair." Adelina softly spoke like she was still unsure. Riley smiled at the girl. She let out a chuckle.

"Of course Adelina. I'd be honored."

Adelina perked up. "Really?" She questioned.

"I don't bite." Riley laughed.

Adelina crawled to sit behind her and Riley felt her delicate fingers pulling all her hair back.

"So what is your father like?" Adelina questioned.

"He's kind and funny and has an excellent poker face. He's honorable, lovable, charismatic, and love purely and wholly. I miss him. We'd spend every summer together and he'd always make room for me and make time for me. He was the best father I could ever ask for." Riley replied.

"Sometimes we've pulled pranks on the other board members. It's awesome."

"My father you know if Four or otherwise known as John Smith. He is also an excellent father. He's compassionate, patient, a little willful and brash but we still love him. He's an excellent compromiser and has years of experience in compromising or playing referee." Adelina chuckled. Riley flinched as Adelina hit a knot.

"Sorry." Adelina apologized.

"My father has a great respect for yours even if it doesn't always seem it. He used to tell me stories of the old days when they were teens all the adventures they had."

"So did my parents. My father told me about Henri who was like a father to him and mom told me about her Cêpan which I'm named after. They also told me about the old days when they were on the run fighting against the mogadorians." Adelina nodded.

Riley smiled. At least she'd made a few allies today.

"So tell me about school. What's it like?" Adelina questioned.

Riley had to bite back a laugh and remember this girl grew up in the mountains.

"Well it can sometimes feel like a prison but it can be really fun. That's is depending on what teachers you have because some came be really evil."

"Evil teachers?" Adelina asked confused.

"Yes evil teachers. They bury you in homework. They won't let you leave their classroom to go to the bathroom. They have no mercy with petty mistakes. They will call you out just because they don't like you or feel the need to make an example of you. Sometimes they want to just publicity humiliate you because you speak out against what their teaching or you mispronounce certain words. They go to great extents to make sure you fail their class and get to spend an extra year with them. Sometimes they blow you to smithereens with constant pop quizzes." Riley ranted.

"Speaking from experience?" Adelina inquired.

"Absolutely. But not all teachers are evil. Some of them are really nice. Some of them seem mean and nasty but they're really just big teddy bears. Some are just really nice and some are just so easy or complete pushovers." Riley happily answered.

"Really?" Adelina sounded amazed.

Riley smiled. It was hilarious how much this girl would believe. Riley felt Adelina stop brushing and started working her fingers ever so delicately. Riley wondered if Adelina had started braiding her hair absentmindedly.

"Alright your turn. Tell me about you. How'd you end up here?" Riley questioned.

Adelina chuckled. "I've been here for three years and a few months. My brother and I came after we heard what happened to Gia. Besides our parents have our other siblings to take care of. We came here to help Katarina with Gia. Gia is a full-time job." Adelina simply answered.

"Yes she is. You have a brother?" Riley questioned.

"Twin brother named Henri."

"That must be pretty cool."

"Yeah it is."

They were interrupted by Kat rushing in and simultaneously running and stripping.

"Show time ladies," Kat spoke hurriedly.

She dug black clothing out of a chest and threw them on. She pulled her hair up into a tight bun. She pulled a black beanie on top and then opened some container.

"Adelina?" She questioned.

"Riley, can you do it? My hands are busy." Adelina asked.

Kat knelt in front of Riley and handed her an open jar of what looked like grease paint.

"On my face please," Kat told her.

Riley smeared the black goo all over Kat's face.

"Adel, can I trust you'll try to make sure Gia doesn't kill anyone or get in trouble in my absence?" Kat inquired, putting the lid on the jar.

"You do know that is a pointless task. Your sister always finds a way to get in some way shape or form of trouble." Adelina bluntly replied.

Kat laughed. "Good luck. Try not to let her kill anyone then."

"Go give Earth Garde a run for their money!" Adelina called after Kat as the girl left.

"I presume it's going to be all over the news tomorrow whatever they're planning." Riley chuckled.

"Always. Kat never ceases to amuse and impress." Adelina replied.

They heard a slight boom echo across camp.

Adelina winced. "A truly impossible task."

Riley chuckled. "You can't possibly know that's Gia."

"Yes I can because something just blew up it's most of the time her. Also, she was working on helping Cecilia set up the tech in the main tent. The boom came from that direction so the obvious conclusion is Gia." Adelina wearily answered. She tied off Riley's braid and helped Riley up.

"Let's see what happened." She moaned. Riley laughed, she couldn't help it.

* * *

The next morning she didn't want to know how it got accomplished but they were distributing a news article printed off the internet. The article discussed an attack by a few Earth Garde at her residence last night. Authorizes do not believe it was an organized attack blah blah blah. Breakfast was bacon, scrambled eggs, and pancakes. They had all sorts of juices and coffee for drinks. There was a giant assorted fruit bowl as well. Casey came over to their table with a grin.

"Are you all aware how fearless yet insane Kat is?" He teasingly questioned.

Gia gave Kat a glare. "Katarina." She warned.

"Chill Gia I was wearing a bulletproof vest and besides I was moving too fast for them." She reassured.

"You were under fire!" Gia demanded, slamming her hands on the table.

"And also was pelting them with hail and thunder," Casey added.

"Your welcome." Kat quipped, she grinned at him.

"How's Henri?" Adelina inquired.

"He's gonna be fine Adel. Remember he's a healer just like you. And besides, it was just a graze. It's all healed by now." Casey chuckled heartily.

"And Levi?" Kat questioned, pointing her fork at him.

"He's gonna live too. Adelina, your presence is requested in the infirmary after breakfast. Shot in the shoulder and broke his ankle on the fall. Man of steel forgot to be man of steel." Casey joked.

"Man of steel?" Riley questioned.

"He has what's called molecular manipulation. He can make himself as dense or as light as he wants." Adelina supplied.

"He's already dense." Kat huffed.

"Kat, have you picked your team for what we were talking about? I have suggestions if not."

"Well obviously me and you. My father, Chase because I presume Adelina and or Henri are outta the question and Riley." Kat replied.

"You picked Chase because?" Casey inquired.

"He has the loralite one, super speed, the zero gravity, and energy manipulation," Kat answered, counting them off on her fingers.

"Can I recommend you switch Chase out for Cade? Teleportation, invisibility, cloning, sonic manipulation and light manipulation." Casey suggested.

"True, they could follow us through loralite right?" Kat wondered aloud.

"Let's not find out. Why Riley?" Casey questioned curiously.

"Because even though she has a lack of training, she has knowledge of the event and the officials there. She can help us find our way. Unless you know what we're walking into." Kat spoke sharply.

Casey held his hands up in surrender. "I only know what Lexa sent me. I got a location, event, target name, picture of target, time and date, and dress code." Casey replied.

"Alright where we meeting up after breakfast?"

"How about your tent because someone blew up the mainframe in the main tent last night," Casey suggested. He shot a look at Gia.

"Aw come on guys. I gave you one job." Kat groaned. She buried her face in her hands.

"You must've just left when it happened. You couldn't have been gone more than a few minutes. I told you keeping your sister out of trouble is highly impossible unless we tie her up." Adelina argued, waving her hands around as if to communicate her frustration.

"You told them to watch me? What am I five?" Gia snapped, crossing her arms across her small torso.

"No, if you were five this wouldn't be happening." Kat condescendingly replied. "How bad was the damage and why did she blow it up?" Kat sighed, she pinched the bridge of her nose as if to alleviate the pain.

"Your father is going to see if he can get us up and running but most of it will need to be replaced," Casey explained casually.

"Gia? What was it this time?" Kat wearily asked.

"I hate it here! No one let's me doing anything anymore! You all treat me like a child!" Gia snapped. She slammed her hands on the table and stormed off.

"Well I think it's a combination of Riley's mere existence, Cecilia's bad mood, and your father's an awful backseat driver." Casey simply answered.

Kat sighed. "We're not taking her right? Cade can kill the lights correct?" She pleaded.

"Your father has the same right?" Casey raised an eyebrow.

"Yep. So he can cut the power." Kat nodded in agreement.

"Excellent meet at your tent after breakfast. Then we can discuss details." Casey decided.

"Cecilia coming?" Kat inquired.

"For this important of a mission? Duh." Casey teased.

Kat rolled her hazel eyes. Riley couldn't wait to find out why she of all people was part of an important mission.


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

Well, they all did meet up in their tent after breakfast with Cecilia being the last one there. Gia was working on the computer setup by her sleeping bag. Riley learned another of Gia's legacies is to project thoughts like Gia projected a mental diagram of the building they were infiltrating.

"Alright, what's the whole plan? I feel like you've left me outta of it again." Cecilia huffed.

"Our wonderful mole Lexa alerted us to a newbie that is already in a bad position." Casey started.

Gia pulled out a picture of their target the same way as the diagram of the building, from her forehead.

"Sidney Amelia Mattis, sixteen years old and the daughter of Colonel Abraham Mattis. The mother died in childbirth, father is the head of security and military affairs for the academy."

Riley recognized the name of the girl. Archibald had been replaced when she was six and Sidney was her friend when she was there. They played together. She couldn't believe the girl had also developed legacies.

"Lexa recommends we invaded the annual Earth Garde ball in a few days and grab her then." Casey continued.

"We'd take us, my father, Riley, and Cade," Kat added.

"Did any of you realize there's a much simpler option for getting this girl?" Cecilia casually questioned.

Riley could notice the subtle hints of humor on Cecilia's face. Casey's shoulders slumped as he dropped his hands to his side.

"And what would that be oh wise one?" Casey inquired, raising an eyebrow at her. Subtle hints of annoyance decorated his face.

"Send two people into the academy, nab her, get out, run like the wind." Cecilia simply answered.

"Are you nuts!" Kat demanded. she glared at her like she'd just killed someone she loved.

"The academy is incredibly easy to get into but impossible to get out," Casey argued, crossing his arms firmly across his chest.

"You want to throw two unfortunate souls to the government? Who died and put you in charge?" Gia exclaimed in agitation.

"Isn't the whole point of your organization to stay away from the clutches of the government?" Adelina questioned quietly.

Riley watched as they erupted into arguing over the fact.

"Alright! Simmer down!" Cecilia hollered over all of them.

"We'll take two volunteers to allow themselves to be caught. Don't worry we'll have a much smaller base camp set up near San Francisco. That way once you get her we flee and then come back to camp. Okay?" Cecilia questioned.

Casey sat with his arms crossed, he didn't look pleased. Riley could sense he was livid but not showing it.

"Let me remind you who really started this organization. I am not throwing anyone at the government just to save a poor soul already trapped in the academy. Why pick her? We don't snatch people directly from the academy that's suicide." He hissed.

"Because her in the hands of the enemy is a dangerous idea." Cecilia shot back, twice as venomous.

"It'd better be a damn good reason then or I'm pulling it," Casey warned. Cecilia rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"This girl has already shown two legacies in rapid succession. Telekinesis and a legacy Malcolm hasn't come across yet. It's like she can manipulate her surroundings and it's not telekinesis she's using. He doesn't know if it's one or two legacies working in sync. It can act just like dreyen. But she can drain the energy out of anything and turn into pure energy. She's managed to almost kill a whole squadron of guards. She can produce my energy blast by draining her surrounds. But Malcolm also said she can control people like they're her puppets. He's been studying it trying to figure out what she's doing." Cecilia explained.

"Could be a version of energy manipulation on steroids?" Kat questioned.

"Yeah, like she's controlling the energy on an almost molecular level. Maybe that's why she can mimic dreyen. Legacies come from Loric energy don't they?" Riley inquired.

"That'd be a very dangerous legacy if so." Henri bluntly replied.

Riley hadn't heard the boy speak yet this meeting.

"Spoken like someone who's spent a lot of time with the Bill Nye wannabe," Cecilia smirked.

"Bill Nye wannabe?" Gia and Kat questioned in equal confusion.

Riley chuckled. "Her nickname for your grandfather."

"Is there really anything your father hasn't told you?" Cecilia laughed.

"He never told me you majorly kicked his butt in your first training session. Malcolm did." Riley quipped.

"Of course he wouldn't. He suffered a major blow to his pride that day." Cecilia chuckled.

"So because this girl has such an intriguing yet dangerous legacy we want to get her away from the government before they can use her against us." Casey calmly stated. Riley tensed, Casey was a lot like her father. Calm before the storm.

"Wonderful. And who exactly do you think will want to go on this suicide mission?" Casey harshly questioned. His voice had an edge sharp as an exacto knife. It like he still didn't completely approve.

"It'll be volunteer only, Cecilia answered coldly.

"Like anyone in their right mind would volunteer for this stupid mission." Casey scoffed.

"I'll go." Riley blurted.

That shut him right up. He was actually dumbstruck for a moment. His jaw had dropped and his hands frozen in mid-gesture. Then he regained his composure.

"No, you aren't," Casey growled.

"It's volunteer only isn't it? I'll volunteer to go." Riley argued.

Casey sighed in defeat. "I'll go. Gotta make sure you don't get yourself killed."

Riley glared daggers at him. Stupid protective boys. Does he not believe she could do it? But what she didn't realize was that his cheeks weren't red from anger, but blushing. Kat picked up on it and grinned to herself. She'd never met this side of him. The easily flustered and fiercely protective side. It was cute in a way. Mr. macho did have a weakness.

"Step one needs more than two people," Cecilia added.

"What exactly is step one?" Casey drawled, gesturing with his hands again.

Kat perked up, a mischievous look on her face. "A goose chase mission."

"Exactly. I presume Casey lets you plan those." Cecilia smiled. Riley could sense her relax a little.

"I volunteer to give em a run for their money," Kat replied with a mischievous grin.

"I'll leave the planning to you as long as I see and approve of it beforehand." Cecilia nodded.

"Excellent." Kat cheered, jumping up in the air with joy.

"Excuse me!" Gia snapped.

Kat flinched. She'd forgotten about her little sister's protests.

"I promise Gia I'll be careful," Kat reassured.

"As if. Dad and I will help however we can. Some of us can't flee multiple guards at once." Gia offered, but they could all sense the tension in her voice.

"Alright, so Adelina? Henri? Want to jump on the bandwagon?" Cecilia questioned.

"Why not?" Henri shrugged.

Adelina looked semi annoyed but nodded. "Where my brother goes I go. Someone gotta keep his impulsiveness in check." Adelina teased. Henri feigned his hurt. Kat chuckled.

"Well, then I don't think we'll need any other volunteers. This has just become a top-secret mission. We'll clue in the Garde that are here and see if Sam can get a message to Lexa without alerting Earth Garde." Cecilia spoke simply.

"You guys want to help me plan?" Kat questioned.

Everyone but Riley nodded.

"I'm gonna get some air." Riley sighed.

She left just like that. Everyone shared confused looks, except Casey.

"Does someone need to go after her?" Adelina questioned.

"Let her be. She just needs to be alone. It's been a rough few days. She just needs to do her own thing." Casey answered,

Katarina picked up the hints of defeat and sadness in his tone. She was going to try and draw that connection somehow. She'd never seen him act like he does around her. The new girl had an odd effect on their leader and it concerned her. Would this new girl affect how he made decisions? Could she be his undoing? Would she put them all in danger? Katarina kept quiet though. She'd dwell on it later but for now, she had a government agency to screw with.

* * *

Riley had found her way to the river they'd arrived in. She strolled along it slowly. With her telekinesis, she gently moved stones and twigs. Could she manipulate water with telekinesis? She'd never tried that before.

She tried but failed. She'd probably need an elemental legacy to control it.

She used it to pick up a rock. She clasped her hand around it and threw it into the water. It skipped across the water twice before sinking. She smiled. She got another rock and repeated the process.

After the fourth or fifth she realized her hand was changing again. She thought it was her invisibility acting up again. She was going to have to work on that one. But it wasn't invisibility. Every time she made a rock land in her hand her hand took on the characteristics of the rock.

Like in Greek mythology when Medusa stared at people and turned them to stone her hand had turned to stone. But she could still move it.  
She walked to a tree and place her hand flat against the bark. Her hand changed to fit the bark of the tree. She punched it with the same hand and look in surprise. Her hand was as hard as the bark too. The name of the legacy popped into her mind. Externa, the ability to turn your body into any material. Her father was going to be thrilled.

No, he's first gonna be livid that she was captured. then he'll be over the moon about the externa, and then he's going to be murderous when he finds out this all for a mission to save a girl. Yeah, he was gonna blow a fuse over the whole matter.

But she felt a need to help save Sidney. Just like her, this girl deserved none of this and never asked for it. Her father was a horrible man she knew from first-hand experience. He was a cold, ruthless, calculating man. She was pretty sure he wasn't capable of compassion or sympathy. If anything he's worse than Archibald was. In his eyes Sidney was never good enough for him, he wanted a son not some pathetic excuse for a daughter. Riley knew Sidney has pretty much grown up in the academy under the merciless eye of her father. If Riley got a chance to escape the government so did Sidney.

That girl deserved a chance at life more than anyone.

But the officials can't find out that they're friends. Riley's father knew but Sidney's father couldn't find out. He'd punish her severely. Sidney was to focus on trying to make something outta herself not socializing.

Riley wondered how Mrs. Raya was. Probably sad she lost another one. First, her son then Riley her only aid. She also contemplated Casey's reaction to her going on the mission. She'd never seen such a reaction from him. Like the very idea of her leaving sparked something deep down inside him.

She skipped another stone across the river. She saw up ahead a small and delicate looking girl surface from the river. Riley stopped dead in her tracks.

This girl looked flawless, she had shimmering black hair and pale skin. Her blue sundress was stuck to her, probably wet. The girl noticed her and stopped dead in her tracks too. An older boy was sitting on the bank on a blanket. He tossed her a towel, completely oblivious to Riley's presence.

"Hi?" Riley questioned.

"A?" The girl quivered, wrapping the towel around her small frame.

The boy looked at her curiously. "Camp?" He questioned.

"Yeah, I needed to just get some air," Riley answered.

"Yeah, it can get stressful some days. New recruit?" The boy questioned. Riley nodded.

"I wondered where Casey was during the move." The boy chuckled.

"A!" The girl snapped. Riley was kind of confused that all she seemed to be saying was A.

"Aqua, relax I highly doubt she's here to turn us in." The boy reassured.

"Well, I'm going to go back to camp. Go back to whatever you were doing." Riley awkwardly spoke.

This whole situation seemed strange.

"It's okay. No one stays with us for long anyway. Usually, Iggy scares them." He smirked.

"A!" Aqua snapped.

"See ya later Riley. Good luck on your mission." The boy smiled.

Riley walked away from them. She only got a short distance when she went to turn around to ask him how he knew her name but they were gone. The blanket, the boy, and the girl. Riley decided she should probably run back to camp. It was getting a little bit weird out here.

* * *

After lunch, they had another meeting in their tent.

"Alright after this meeting all of you pack and we'll leave tonight for Belmont Michigan," Cecilia instructed.

"But until then this is our plan ladies and gentlemen." Casey started.

"Katarina and Henri will both be using their legacies to stay right above the entrance of the earth Garde station. Adelina will be perched on the sign above the doorway. We wait for our friends to rotate shifts and once they're out the door. You three will attack with no mercy. Adelina and Henri you will make it very steamy for our friends while Katarina leads them away from you. One block away Riley and I will be hiding in an alleyway. We all join up in this shopping plaza." Casey explained, pointing to a large area on the map.

"Then all five of us will split up. Give em a run for their money. Only two of us can get caught. In the event, one of us is caught. Like take Kat for example if she gets caught she is to whisper into her mike Six down. That way we and our tech nerds behind the scenes know who's captured and who's not. Once two of us has been captured the rest of us are to get out of there and run for the black van in the Best Buy parking lot. Sam, Gia, and Six will all be in there ready to make a speedy getaway. Questions?" Casey inquired.

Adelina raised her hand.

"Yes, Adel?"Casey inquired.

"What if you're captured? Your not the child of a Garde." Adelina innocently asked.

Kat smirked. "Yeah oh, fearless leader. What happens when you get caught?"

Casey grinned. "My signal shall be Hera has been captured again."

Riley couldn't help it. She burst out laughing. She didn't care that all the others were at loss for the joke Casey cracked.

"See I've missed not having someone to understand my mythology jokes," Casey smirked.

"That's a long code. It's unreasonable." Kat argued.

"So's Hera." Riley quipped.

"What are you reading my mind?" Casey laughed.

Kat looked lost. Cecilia smirked.

"Ignore them they're being geeks about mythology."

"Greek mythology." Riley corrected. Casey laughed.

"Moving on once caught you will end up in the academy. One could hope they take you straight to Malcolm where he will examine you and test you." Cecilia continued.

Riley cleared her throat.

"Did I miss something?" Cecilia inquired.

"Taylor Cook. She'll be too. She's in charge of the infirmary but works together with Malcolm a lot." Riley added.

"Okay, so you might first be examined by Malcolm and Taylor. Then Professor Nine might come to greet you next. Your goal is to get the girl and get out alive and in one piece." Cecilia finished.

"Can we have a competition who breaks the most peacekeepers?" Casey smirked.

"Don't irritate the officials. They won't think twice about scrambling you." Cecilia warned.

"Relax Cecilia. I think we'll all be fine." Kat reassured.

"We hope." Cecilia sighed.

* * *

"Mike check. Everyone report." Gia replied over Kat's mike. Katarina sighed impatiently.

"Six." She answered.

She heard everyone else respond as well. Her zero gravity legacy kept her attached to the wall right above the entrance to the local earth Garde post. Henri gave her a thumbs up from the other side of the sign. Adelina was perched gracefully like a cat on the sign.

Kat was itching for some action today. They'd been here for what seemed like forever.

"Casey I'm gonna fall asleep soon if something doesn't happen," Kat informed him.

"Patience young grasshopper we're just as bored," Casey answered.

"Not really. We're playing trivia." Riley corrected.

"I see we've finally found the person beside Casey addicted to Greek mythology." Kat chuckled.

"You can blame my mother for it." Casey simply replied.

"I'll get right on that." Kat drawled.

Suddenly the door underneath them opened.

"So you're sure you heard someone talking out here?" A female officer asked.

"I swear I heard people talking right outside the door." A male officer argued.

"Well let's scout out the area then. We got nothing better to do." The female decided. Kat already knew Henri and Adelina were locked and loaded.

"Bored? Let's fix that shall we?" Kat taunted.

Both guards jumped and turned around. Kat jumped and started running across nearby buildings.

Adelina and Henri launched their attacks. Fire and ice working in harmony. Kat didn't have time to admire though. She needed to get outta sight and change. She jumped off the side of a building and landed in the alley.

She shifted into a girl with brown pigtails and big blue eyes, then reversed the aging process by turning back to six.

She wandered down the alley and around the corner to where they already knew two were standing getting coffee. She let out her best cry of distress. The female one turned to face her. She whispered something to her partner and approach her. The woman knelt in front of her and smiled.

"What's wrong sweetie?"

"I lost my mommy!" Kat cried.

"It's okay sweetie. Where did you last see mommy?" The woman asked.

"I don't know," Kat answered.

"What's your name sweetie?" The woman asked.

"Bella," Kat answered.

"Come on Bella let's see if we can find her." The woman reassured. Her partner walked over and handed her a coffee cup.

"This is my partner Matt and my name is Traci." The woman introduced.

"I want my mommy," Kat whined.

"It's okay sweetie. We can help you find her." The woman repeated.

The woman took her one hand and the man took the other. Kat grinned.

This was too easy. Without warning, she flipped both of them.

"Geez, you both are gullible." She laughed. Kat transformed back and let them get to there feet before running off. In the direction of the shopping plaza obviously.

"That was awesome." She heard her father congratulate.

"It wasn't awesome it was genius." Six replied.

"Don't get carried away Kat," Gia replied.

"Trust me G this isn't my first time," Kat reassured.

* * *

Riley and Casey stood at attention waiting for their signal.

"Alright, you two got company headed your way," Sam told them over the earpiece.

"Ready to do this Artemis?" Casey teased.

"Never been better Ares," Riley smirked.

"Go! Go! GO!" Henri hollered rushing by.

"I think we made them angry!" Adelina called.

Casey chuckled and they both ran after Henri and Adelina,

"How many?" Casey inquired.

"Five? Six? Maybe Seven?" Henri guessed.

"Let's just say a lot." Adelina breathlessly answered.

They navigated the streets until the hit the shopping plaza. Kat came in hot, right after them. All the officials they'd gathered were coming right for them.

"If I ever had to pick a store to get busted in it'd be Michaels but since Casey will want Michaels I'll pick SuperCuts." Riley decided.

Casey laughed. Kat scanned the plaza.

"Target. That'll be fun."

"Adelina? Henri?" Casey inquired.

"What's Bed Bath and Beyond?" Adelina questioned.

"A big store with very high ceilings and plenty of ammo," Riley answered.

Henri cracked his knuckles. "Sounds like fun."

"Alright show time folks," Casey smirked.

"Good luck." Kat nodded.

"Stay safe everyone." Adelina smiled.

Then they all split up to the stores they'd selected.

* * *

Riley did slightly regret her decision because of its lack of advantages over the agents. But if she had to go down, which was inevitable, she was gonna go down in a salon. She just felt like that's how it should be. She made sure they saw her run into the store.

She expected the glass to be shot out but no the three after her didn't fire. That means they either have no weapons or don't want to use them on her. Good, don't give her a reason to use hers then.

She intended to be caught.

She stopped to scan the layout of the store when she felt one try to tackle her. She ducked out of the way and launched two chairs at them. Two of them were fast enough to duck. One of them though took the chair to the head. One down two to go.

Just like in the art room she reached out for the bottles decorating the shelves. They certainly weren't painted and would hurt a lot more but that was the point. Like she was prepping for a painting project with elementary she uncapped them and dumped them on her subjects. That took care of one but the other continued to pursue her.

Crap, dead end.

Another projectile? She frantically searched for something to help her but missed the third one sneaking closer. Without warning the woman tackled her to the ground.

"You are being detained until we can process you for displaying and using your legacies in public." She ordered slapping handcuffs on.

"Nine down." She softly spoke.

Riley examined the damage she'd caused and couldn't help but smile. Her father will be so proud of her. Maybe that'll decrease the chances he'll be upset with her being in the academy.

* * *

Gia chuckled and shook her head after Riley was caught. Her parents apparently had a bet going. Her father now owed her mother twenty bucks.

"So one down four remain. How are we doing folks?" Gia asked.

"Excellent," Casey replied.

"Don't get carried away Hera. For everyone's sake don't get caught. I don't want to have to make that call to Cecilia. She'll kill the messenger." Gia replied.

She heard Casey laugh.

"Geez have a little faith G. I got this," Casey answered.

"I've never had so much fun in my life!" Adelina squealed.

"What she said," Henri answered.

"Been better." Katarina panted.

Gia snapped her fingers at her father.

"Target right?" Gia questioned. Her father seemed to get the message and sat down next to her and started working on the second laptop.

"Yeah, I can't shake them." Kat sounded out of breath.

"Kat, pace yourself, don't exhaust yourself. You know what happened last time." Gia warned.

"Please don't remind me." Kat huffed and puffed in annoyance.

Gia switched frequencies to Casey's private channel.

"If you're done having fun where you are, can you hustle to Target? Six needs some help." Gia told him.

"Aw, but I was just about to glaze them." He teased.

"Hera," Gia warned.

"On it your techiness." Casey chuckled.

Sam stifled a laugh.

"Hack into Target yet?" Gia questioned.

"I'm working on it. They're a little more high tech than others." Sam answered.

"Okay, where in Target is your sister?" Casey questioned.

"Listen for the bang and crashes. One moment." Gia quickly replied.

"All the earpieces have trackers right?" Gia questioned.

"As long as they're on."

Gia was just about to open another window and track her sister when a scream of pure agony came over the airwaves. She knew it was Kat the instant she heard it. Her sister's screams filled the airwaves and Gia's blood ran cold.

"Six report?" Gia asked, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.

"Six you okay?" Gia questioned.

"Katarina! Answer me!" Gia demanded.

"Katarina! Please! Answer me!" Gia cried. Her father put a hand on her. Suddenly the airwaves crackled and Casey answered.

"I'm so sorry Gia. I didn't get there in time. But Kat will be fine. It's just the scramblers that made her scream." Casey solemnly answered.

"Two down three remain. Hera, seven and four pull back. Get outta there now." Gia sighed.

"I might be a few minutes. Target is crawling with Earth Garde agents currently." Casey answered.

Gia couldn't bring herself to talk. If she opened her mouth nothing might come out. Her father carefully slipped her headset off and slipped it on his head.

"Do your best Casey. Just be careful." He spoke.

Gia finally allowed herself to cry. She leaned forward and buried her head in her arms.

"Give me five, Six dropped some valuable objects." Casey sighed.

Gia groaned. Six moved to rub her back.

"Hey, Kat will be fine. She's a fighter just like us." Six reassured.

Gia knew it was a possibility that Kat could be one of the two but it just didn't make sense. It was now as if all the joy in the world has just been sucked out. Her sister, the great and powerful Katarina who has lead hundreds of these missions before without fault was one of the two. It just wasn't possible. Her sister was better than that. Why her? Why not anyone else but her? Her sister's screams of agony echoed through her head. It was a sound she'd never be able to forget.


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5

Riley had been thrown in a transport van. Literally thrown like a sack of potatoes. She must've really irked the guards. She was still a little giddy about her stunt in there. She knew she had scrambler cuffs on and they will scramble her if she used her legacies.

That's why she wasn't doing the stupid thing and trying to break out. Because that would really hurt and she didn't need to be in pain currently. Suddenly she heard screaming and the doors flew open.  
A girl screaming insults at the officials was tossed in.

"Nice to see you, Kat." Riley greeted.

"Don't get used to me. I'm getting outta here." Kat huffed.

Riley watched her concentrate on using who knows what legacy but a second later the cuffs discharged. Katarina's whole body seized and she screamed again. Riley sighed. She waited for Kat to stop seizing to speak.

"Yo superwoman. It's a very basic concept. You use your legacies." Riley demonstrated by using her telepathy.

 _Calm yourself._ Riley smirked to hide the growing migraine in her head.

"You're gonna get punished." She finished simply.

"Why don't yours shock?" Kat gasped for air.

"Because unlike you I've been classified as mostly harmless. Just basic scramblers." Riley explained. "Although you my friend must've seriously ticked off some agents. High-grade shock cuffs. Reserved for the especially nasty teens. The ones that are considered high-level threats." Riley casually explained.

"Gia's gonna be furious." Kat sighed.

Riley watched as the girl tried to fire herself up again. Just like before the cuffs shocked her sending her body into convulsions.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Riley asked after the third time.

"Shrink my way outta of these things." Kat snapped.

"Kat it won't work. No matter what legacy they're gonna shock you and eventually your gonna probably pass out." Riley wearily replied.

How stupid did you have to be? This girl was gonna kill herself. Katarina did it maybe once or twice more before finally, her body gave out and she flopped to the ground. Her body still slightly jerking. This is gonna be just wonderful. Hopefully, Katarina was in a more logical state of mind when she woke up.

If she woke up.

Just to reassure herself that Kat was still alive she crawled over and awkwardly checked her pulse. Her heart's still beating so obviously she'll live. Riley sat back against the opposing wall to wait. Since she was obviously the only sane person currently she needs to plan out the next few stages.

They had one day until the celebration ball. She highly doubted they'd be prepared by then. They'd have to hatch their own escape plan. Luckily Riley knew escaping the academy had been done before and her father knew all the ways. Escaping the academy isn't as impossible as it sounds. You just gotta know the ins and outs.

* * *

Eventually, the van stopped and they were hauled out. Well, Riley walked and they carried Kat out. They went into a large office like building. Riley was trying to determine the game plan.

Of course, they'd be treated just like any other case. Taken to a processing center for the basic test and examination and then shipped to the academy. She'd like to watch them make her father or even Kat's parents sign them over to the UN. She thinks both Six and her father would have some choice words for the UN.

If they let the poor agents live that is.

She and Kat were separated into separate examination rooms. Only one guard stayed with her and it was a woman. She looked about mid-forties if she had to guess. Her hair was a dull brown and pulled back in a tight bun. Steely blue eyes seemed to be constantly keeping an ever so careful watch of her. Another younger woman in a lab coat walked in a few minutes later.

"Good afternoon my name is Lydia York. I'll be conducting your examination today. It'd be in your best interest to not try to escape during this. Guard. Uncuff her please." Lydia spoke in a calm yet authoritative voice.

She had light brown hair in a braid and cheery green eyes. The guard stepped forward and undid the scrambler cuffs. The guard then slipped out the door.

"Okay, first we shall test your telekinetic strength." Lydia decided. She grabbed a plastic device that had what looked like a quarter inside. No, it was one quarter at the top of a tube full of a gel-like substance. Lydia handed it to her.

"Try to push the quarter as far as you can." She instructed.

Riley put everything she had into moving the quarter. She didn't mean to break the tube. The quarter shot down the tube and broke through the bottom. The quarter even shot across the room. Lydia stared in amazement.

"Excellent." She managed to say.

Riley smiled on the inside. It's like no one has ever broken her toy apparently. Riley was glad to be the first.

"Now for the less exciting part," Lydia replied.

After testing reflexes, eyesight, hearing, heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, height, and weight they did even more testing.

Lydia went to take a blood sample but just at that moment, Riley's externa flared up. Her hands had been gripping the metal examination table so hard her nervousness must've triggered it. She became as solid and hard as metal. The needle broke right off.

"Can you control that?" Lydia asked.

Riley shrugged. She wasn't going to admit she really didn't know how to control it.

"Alright how about we go out and see if what they want to do with you next."

Riley got off the table and followed her out. Next thing she knew the externa had gone away and she was human. Three guards met them at the entrance to the waiting room.

"This girl is to be contained until the transport is ready." The one spoke.  
Another slapped a pair of scramblers on Riley's hands again.

"What did she do?" Lydia asked.

"This is a wanted escapee." The third one coldly responded.

Riley gave them a cheesy grin. "Wanted by who? Definitely not my family."

"She escaped officials at her school with another wanted escapee." The first guard answered sternly.

"What another escapee? What do you think I'm not capable of escaping on my own?" Riley huffed.

"Her chart?" The second one gruffly inquired. Lydia handed it over to the guard.

"You're still practically a baby compared to others. Apprehension of the target was simple. Although one agent has a concussion and another one has minor chemical burns." The guard continued.

"I'd watch what your tongue if I were you. One of these days one of the so-called babies might put you in your place." Riley casually spoke, but her voice was laced with a threat or maybe a promise.

A woman in full military uniform came down the hall. She walked with absolute authority in her high heeled boots. If Riley hadn't grown up around officials she might've been impressed. If she didn't recognize the woman she might've been worried. But the woman didn't impress her and Riley was very familiar with her.

"How'd I guess you'd someday be like him?" The woman coldly replied.

"How'd I know you'd be just as condescending as always?" Riley sharply answered.

"You know her?" One the of the guards asked incredulously.

"Why of course. Although last time I saw her she had I think green streaks?" The woman seemed to be scolding her.

"Since when were you moved to Michigan? Get in trouble in California again?" Riley smirked. Her voice dripping with sarcasm and disdain.

"I'd show some respect if I were you alien spawn. Daddy isn't here to protect you." She warned. Her eyes the color of slate.

"Cut to the chase Silvia. Am I your ticket back to the big times?" Riley taunted.

She got a sharp slap to the face.

"Where's the other one? The more dangerous girl." Silvia demanded.

"She's giving the doctors a hard time." One of the guards replied.

"Well hurry them up! We got places to be!" Silvia barked.

The one took off down the hall.

Great. Commander Silvia was in charge of all human Garde caught in the state of Michigan now. This plan was just going downhill faster and faster. At least she could spend the rest of the trip taunting Silvia. She can't truly lay a hand on Riley or her father will have Silvia's badge in a heartbeat. One of the perk to being his daughter.

* * *

Riley just sighed and shook her head when Kat finally was escorted into their transport van. Kat had a nice purple bruise forming underneath the bandage on her arm. Her one cheek had a handprint on it like someone smacked her. She was now fully shackled, hands and feet. Riley crawler over to whisper to Kat.

"Care to explain?" She inquired, trying not to sound as annoyed as she was.

"Since you seem to know all you try to figure out a legacy that's in all limbs." Kat huffed.

It was the first one that came to mind because she'd seen it at work before.

"Liberum, gravity doesn't apply to you."

Kat looked at her. "How'd you get out of having your blood drawn?"

"Externa decided to help," Riley whispered. Kat rolled her eyes.

"Your fathers gonna be livid."

"Yep. I fully acknowledge this." Riley nodded. Kat chuckled. They spent the rest of the ride in silence.

They'd arrived at the Human Garde Academy around seven. Lexa and Malcolm greeted them as they walked across campus to Malcolm's lab. Well, the one in the gym at least.

"Honey I'm home." Riley quipped.

She got both of them to chuckle, Kat looked lost.

"Now I presume you wouldn't like another wrench in your lovely plan but we got one for you," Lexa whispered.

Kat was still rubbing her wrists from where the handcuffs had left marks, possibly bruises.

"Such as?" Riley inquired.

Malcolm sighed. "We haven't exactly informed your father of this. We haven't even told him about the first plan that was shot down by the wonderful Cecilia."

"Wonderful, now he has two reasons to raise his blood pressure," Riley answered with false joy.

"What's the second one? I was only aware of one." Lexa questioned. Riley looked at Malcolm.

"What's the legacy my father hates above all other legacies?" She asked.

"Energy blasts?" Lexa suggested.

Malcolm thought about it but then enlightenment lit up his face.

"Impossible. The last time someone thought they had it it was when we discovered molecular manipulation." Malcolm argued.

Riley rolled her eyes and picked up a stray rock for the path. This time she actually willed her hand to copy it. Her hand turned to stone. Then she dropped the stone and waved her hand at Malcolm.

"That's how it works right? You become whatever you touch." Riley questioned.

Malcolm winced and then sighed. "That's textbook externa. Lexa where is Nine at this moment?"

"There are no classes in the gym after dinner are there?" She inquired.

"Last I checked no. Everyone should be doing homework I'm pretty sure. So I don't really know where Nine is actually. Give me a moment." Lexa answered. She started typing away on her tablet. "He's in his office right now and Taylor is in her's in case you want her as well," Lexa announced.

"Eh, I don't think we'll need her. Although keep Nine distracted as long as possible. Let's give them some time to relax before letting him know." Malcolm suggested.

"Making him wait might make it worse." Lexa pointed out.

"Give me at least half an hour before you let him loose on us." Malcolm his old hazel eyes seemed tired as he pleaded with her.

"Will do." She nodded before running off to one of the other buildings, black hair trailing behind her. Riley already knew she had run off toward the main office. That's where her father's office was.

Malcolm lead them to the gym and up to his lab on the observation deck. Once he shut the door he pulled Kat into a hug.

"You've grown my little warrior." He greeted.

"Hey, grandpa." Kat smiled.

"So what we got for legacies. I promise this is all off the books and Lexa disabled all monitoring equipment in here almost two decades ago." Malcolm explained.

"How about the why did you feel the need to try to electrocute yourself to death?" Riley asked Kat rather annoyed.

"Relax, I'm fine now. I just need my stone to help heal my wrists." Kat huffed. She reached for something on her backpack and frowned.

"Oh no. I didn't really lose it did I?" Kat groaned. Kat punched the table in irritation. "I lost them."

"I'll have Lexa get word to your cohorts and see if any of them found it after you were captured," Malcolm reassured.

"Here, I still have my trinkets," Riley suggested.

She pulled the pouch out of her pocket and retrieved the small black stone.

Riley gently placed the stone on Kat's right wrists. Kat hissed in pain while Riley held the stone there. Then she moved on to the left wrist.

"When'd your father give you his inheritance?" Malcolm questioned, gesturing to her pouch.

"Same day I was found out by the officials," Riley answered casually.

"Well feel free to relax here until Nine and Lexa get here."Malcolm shrugged.

* * *

Malcolm had let Riley and Kat go beat up the dummies within like five minutes after he told them to relax. Riley had discovered the purpose of the green ball with metal spikes, hopefully.

She retrieved it and threw it with all she had, using telekinesis to deploy its spikes right before it hit the dummy. It tore through dummy number four.

"Think fast!" Kat shouted.

Suddenly Riley's ball was flying right back at her, spikes out. Riley dodged and went flying back to Kat.

"Oh, so we're gonna play this kind of game are we?" Kat chuckled, stopping the ball.

"Why not?" Riley challenged.

"Bring it." Kat dared.

Riley got in a defensive position and motioned for Kat to bring it. Kat launched the ball back at her and Riley twirled and sent it back. Kat flipped right over it and smirked at Riley.

The ball kept its dangerous trajectory and came to stop right in front of the gym doorway. A man stood in the doorway with a stormy look on his face, his brown eyes in a scowl. He was tall and muscular with his shaggy black hair tied back in a low ponytail. His one hand shot out and the ball just hovered in the air. Suddenly the spikes retracted and the ball landed in his hand. Lexa came in behind him. She had a guilty look on her face.

"Where's Malcolm?" Nine questioned, his voice incredibly terse.

"Up here!" Malcolm called, completely oblivious.

"Alright everyone upstairs now!" Nine commanded.

Riley and Kat raced each other upstairs. Lexa filed in behind them. Nine was the last one in and shut the door behind him. Kat and Riley sat on the one empty desk while Lexa moved to stand next to Malcolm who was sitting in a chair.

"Now, can someone please care to explain what in the name of Lorien is going on around here?" He was calm, too calm for the situation and the others edged back from the man.

"Well, we…" Kat found herself at a loss for words and leaned back against the table as if she was trying to get herself further from the furious man.  
Lexa grabbed the back of the chair and nervously bit her lip, "It's not what you think-"

"This morning I get a report about five targets possibly working together near a shopping plaza on alpine in Belmont Michigan." Nine cut, his words slow and deliberately unforgiving as he turned to look at her, "Then another report came shortly after that- two females were captured and neutralized. Half a squadron of agents was injured in the process. Then one of the doctors at the processing center is in the hospital for several broken bones and concussion."

At this point his knuckles were white and any and all patience had smoked away against the heat in his eyes, "This evening Commander Silvia saunters into my office and informs me with the biggest grin plastered on her face that my daughter is one of the captured targets." He took a steadying breath and his jaw clenched as the words viciously spat from his mouth as if he couldn't believe what he was saying, "Last I checked, my daughter had escaped the officials at her school and was safe in sound with Casey in the refugee camp. Care to explain?"

Nine's tone was unyielding and it was clear that no matter what they said, his mind was already made up.

They were in trouble, big time.

Riley knew to keep her mouth shut because he seemed pretty pissed.

"Anyone care to explain all this?" He snapped.

Lexa looked at Malcolm and Malcolm looked at her. Riley knew neither of them was gonna talk currently.

"Kat please tell me I'm not going to have your mother come pounding on my door tomorrow morning." Nine sighed, running a hand over his face.

"My mother is well aware of the situation as is my father. My grandfather is also aware of the situation but apparently, he's forgotten to let you in on the plan." Kat answered, giving Malcolm a look that could curdle milk.

"Lexa? Why don't you tell him the plan since you're truly the one who knows the most." Malcolm suggested, squirming under his granddaughter's fierce gaze. Lexa gave Malcolm a withering look as well. Riley couldn't decide if he should feel bad for the man or laugh at the horrible situation he'd put himself in.

"It involves Sidney." She sighed, running her hands through her long black hair.

"You guys couldn't pick another time to do this? This week is quite possibly the worst one. There's way too much going on right now for y'all to be scheming." Nine argued.

He crossed his muscular arms over his chest. Well, one was a muscular arm at least while the other was metal.

"The celebration ball won't be a problem because from what I understand there will not be a twenty-four turn around on this." Lexa cautiously explained.

She released Malcolm's chair and clasped her hands together. She gave Kat a look as if asking if she was right.

"So you're telling me my daughter and Malcolm's granddaughter are both here for who knows how long to rescue Sidney from us? Am I on the right track?" Nine sharply questioned.

Riley could still feel his anger bubbling just under the surface.

"Yes, sir." Lexa nodded.

"Why them? Why suddenly decide to save one girl from the academy?" Nine questioned casually.

Riley knew better though. His suddenly calm tone concerned her, he was going to yell again pretty sure. Lexa seemed to pick up on it too.

"I can't answer why them but," even with her dark skin tone she looked awfully pale. Her knuckles were turning white again.

"So you don't truly know everything which brings me to ask who's cockamamie idea was this?" Nine demanded.

Everyone seemed to freeze in place. Anger just seemed to radiate from him.

"Not us," Lexa mumbled.

"That isn't an answer." He snapped.

Riley found her voice first. "It was Cecilia. She didn't like the original plan proposed by Malcolm and Lexa. She thought it would be more reasonable to infiltrate the academy and smuggle Sidney out."

Nine threw his hands up in complete exasperation. "And why pray tell is Cecilia in on this?"

"Because contrary to popular opinion Cecilia didn't just fall off the face of the planet three years ago." Kat quipped. Kat instantly regretted her outburst and stared at her lap as Nine glared at her.

"You gotta be freaking kidding me! Someone, please inform me what in the name of the elders she has to do with all this?" Nine exclaimed. He started pacing back and forth.

"Cecilia is the other leader of the refugee camp. She helps Casey run the place. Does the paperwork and such. Keeps things running smoothly." Malcolm quickly answered. He seemed to quickly interest himself with his left hand.

"So it was Cecilia's brilliant idea to send you two here to snatch Sidney? Not that I disagree with removing Sidney from the government's clutches but why would Casey agree to such a thing?" Nine argued.

"Casey didn't agree to it you idjit! He and her had a huge argument about it he only agreed to it because he doesn't want the government to use Sidney against us!" Kat exclaimed in frustration. Riley sighed. Nine focused his undivided attention on Kat.

"What do you do in the refugee camp? How do you know more than Lexa who I've been lead to believe is the mastermind." He inquired, full fury focused on her now.

Kat shrunk back from him a little bit, his cool tone spooked her.

"I help plan all the missions. Casey and I plan every mission." She answered quietly.

"Still haven't told me why you two were selected." Nine scowled.

"Because we volunteered, five volunteered and it was whoever were the first two captured would be the two," Riley answered sternly.

"And why did you volunteer when you know I don't want you here?" Nine demanded.

"Because it's Sidney! She doesn't deserve this! None of us deserve any of this! None of us ever asked for any of this! Someone had to volunteer and I didn't want to leave it to the three stooges to decide how, why, when, and where!" Riley exclaimed in pure frustration.

She didn't mean to, she definitely didn't mean to do it this time but her stupid externa kicked in and she turned into same material as the table, her whole body. This was becoming annoying.

Nine stared at her in awe, confusion, and maybe some disgust.

"Well isn't that just the icing on the blasted cake." He grumbled.

Nine scanned all there faces for answers.

"Nine, Commander Silvia is waiting for you in your office." Lexa quipped. Nine sighed.

"This isn't over." He spoke harshly, pointing at all of them.

"Watch where you're throwing that next time." Nine casually said, tossing Riley the green ball. He walked by her and smacked her upside the head before leaving. Lexa sighed in relief and collapsed into a chair.

"That definitely could have gone better," Malcolm spoke slowly.

"Kat do you have a death wish?" Riley inquired turning to face the girl.

"Why?" Kat looked confused. She raised an eyebrow at Riley.

"You never insult or yell at my father when he's mad like that. That's just asking for trouble." Riley explained.

"I lived didn't I?" Kat smirked. Riley sighed and smacked herself.

"Malcolm? Explain it to her?"

"Waste of oxygen, she is her mother's child through and through." He chuckled.

"What's your father's deal with your externa acting out again?" Kat questioned.

Riley sighed and ran her hands through her lanky black locks. "Because when there were six Garde left to fight the mogadorians his arch enemy number five had externa. He and Nine went round after round fighting each other. My father has hated the legacy externa ever since."

"No control?" Malcolm asked.

"The only legacy I can really control is telekinesis so that's a no." Riley huffed.

"Well, maybe we can work on that. Give your father some time to cool off." Malcolm suggested.

"Christmas will come before that." Lexa joked.

* * *

Riley and Kat had settled into their dorm and were in the common room watching tv. Sharing a bag of Tostitos, courtesy of Malcolm. They were in the middle of watching a movie called divergent when someone knocked on there door.

"We aren't buying anything!" Riley called.

"Very funny. It's me Ri." Nine answered.

"Me who?" Kat quipped.

"Me open the door or I'm breaking in." Nine retorted.

"Geez, you're touchy." Riley chuckled, getting up to let her father in.  
Kat turned off the tv and folded her legs under her.

"What's up, Stanley?"

"Your father's dead meat next time I see him." Nine grinned.

"That would be my mother who told me that," Kat smirked.  
Nine rolled his eyes.

"Ya know people I'll start talking if you continue to visit us." Riley teased. Nine chuckled. "Lexa's got this room covered and the hallway cameras on a loop. I'm pretty sure I'm safe."

"So how's Silvia?" Riley mischievously inquired.

She sat back down next to Kat but waiting for an answer.

"She is just wonderful. You are not her big ticket by the way because she lost the other three targets including Casey Raya. If she was to catch him she'd be golden. Since he's seen in a lot of your group's stunts my associates have been led to believe he might be the leader of the runaways." Nine explained, clasping his hands together. Riley could sense he was still hiding something.

"Out with it. What is it? Don't make me dig in that thick skull of yours." Riley inquired.

"You both are aware the biggest and most important political ball is tomorrow night right?" Nine raised an eyebrow.

Kat groaned and pretended to have died. Riley chuckled and nodded.

"Kat I presume your mother and father will not be coming since her excuses become more and more creative each year." Nine smirked.

"I wouldn't expect either of them. But I presume you can't get out of it Professor." Kat answered, cracking one eye open.

"I've got a meeting tomorrow morning but Lexa would like both of you up by nine to go dress shopping for tomorrow night. When you come back depending on the time you might get to spend some quality time with Susan." He cracked his knuckles almost absentmindedly.

"Kat you have an eleven o'clock appointment with Dr. Linda Matheson Friday morning." Nine spoke and it looked like he was trying not smile or laugh.

Riley laughed so hard she fell onto the floor.

"What?" Kat questioned. Riley was laughing so hard she couldn't get the words out, she could barely breathe.

"She's the school therapist. I had nothing to do with the making of the appointment." Nine slowly spoke with the most innocent look on his face.

"Why do I need a therapist?" Kat demanded.

"Because they… they consider you….a vio-vi." Riley couldn't stop laughing. She hugged herself to try and help but she just kept laughing.

"What my daughter is trying to say is they consider you a violent teen. A problem child who needs her head examined." At this Nine cracked a grin.

"You gotta be kidding me." Kat snapped.

"Nope completely serious. If you can beat Cecilia's record I'll let you prank the board." Nine offered.

"Cecilia's record? She also had the same woman?" Kat sat forward, looking surprised.

"Five minutes. And then informed her some very nice words." Nine gave her a mischievous grin.

"Pfft. You're on." Kat scoffed, she crossed her arms and smirked.

"Good. Now can I please talk to my daughter alone?" He questioned, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"This therapist lady is on the board right?" Kat asked, standing up.

"She can be a target if you beat Cecilia's record." Nine nodded.

"Deal." Kat agreed. She pumped her fists in the air as she went to her room.

"You just opened Pandora's box I think." Riley chuckled.

"There are no rules against students harassing the staff." Nine readily argued.

Riley leaned back against the couch and laughed.

"So is now when you yell at me privately?" Riley stretched her arms above her head. Nine came and sat down next to her.

"Can't I just come check on my little girl?" Nine softly questioned. He put an arm around her and Riley snuggled into his side. She rested her head on his muscular shoulder.

"I'm sorry for coming dad. It's just I heard who the target was and I instantly said yes. It was a gut reaction." Riley sighed.

"I understand Ri, you followed your heart. That's an excellent characteristic to have. You are willing to give yourself to save another." He reassured. "If Johnny boy was here he'd give some long beautiful speech about how heroic that is of you but luckily he isn't in the room currently." Nine teased.

Riley chuckled.

"I see you're practicing with your inheritance already. Those trinkets are what's left of my inheritance from my chest. That stuff is from Lorien and it's irreplaceable. You may not realize it but I gave you a piece of your inheritance when you were ten." Nine told her.

Riley remembered for her tenth birthday he gave her the necklace she still wears to this day. Riley reached for it cautiously.

"Yes. Your necklace isn't really a necklace. It's a string of green crystals. Really cool weapon when used."

"What does it do?" Riley looked up at her father.

"Say anyone was to throw something at you. It will suck up the projectile and launch it back at that person. Sounds cool right?" Nine inquired.

"Sounds awesome." Riley corrected.

"I've heard you already know how to use the healing stone And you seem to already understand the concept of the green ball pretty well. So what about the small red stone I gave you?" Nine smiled at her.

"It's your X-ray stone. I accidentally saw Casey's facial bones and screamed when I was playing with it." Riley admitted, she looked her lap almost in shame.

"Casey got some handsome facial bones?" Nine wiggled his eyebrows.

"Dad!" Riley laughed, elbowing him.

"Do we need to have the talk?" He teased.

"Dad! Please stop!" Riley argued.

"I'm just making sure your safe. It'd be a shame if I had to cave in his handsome facial bones." Nine smirked. Riley rolled her eyes.

"So I hear ye old macrocosm system is up in running in their organization." Nine causally spoke.

"Yeah but from what I understand Kat lost part of it during her capture." Riley sighed.

"She did drop it but Casey had been paged to come help her but arrived too late. While no one was looking he scooped up her pouch of trinkets and returned it to Gia. But not just her mother has a red crystal ya know. And that's not even her mother's but that's another subject." Nine replied with a carefree smile. He pulled a red crystal just like the one Riley had seen Gia use the day she was saved.

"You can now go get Kat. I presume someone has to have the other half of the macrocosm. Johnny must've passed it on to the twins." Nine explained.

"How?" Riley started.

"Process of elimination. The other half of the macrocosm was in John's chest so if the refugee camp is using it as a means of communication someone has to have the other half or it won't exactly work for them. Since I know the twins are in that very camp I'd assume one of them has it." Nine casually explained.

"Katarina get out here!" Riley called.

As if she'd been listening to them the whole time Kat's door flew open and she walked back into the room.

"This is part of Riley's inheritance but use this to contact your friends." Nine offered, holding it out.

"You're sure it'll work for me? It is part of her inheritance she should use it shouldn't she?" Kat questioned.

"Riley do you know how the macrocosm works?" Nine inquired.

"You talk into the crystal and someone responds and you talk?" Riley guessed.

"You've seen them use it already haven't you?" Nine chuckled.

"Gia used it to contact camp when they rescued Riley," Kat answered.

Riley grabbed it from her father and held the crystal. It became warm in her

hands and she cautiously spoke into it.

"Hera. Come in Hera."

"Hera is a little busy at the moment sleeping off some pretty good pain meds. But this is Pittacus Lore 3.0." A voice replied.

"Hey, Henri. Everyone else there?" Riley asked.

"Pittacus Lore reborn is in the house!" She heard someone cheer in the background.

"Nice try Sam but you will never be him. That's John's position and I know for certain he ain't on the other end of this." Nine informed Sam. "Besides how'd you know I'd be on this end?"

"Because I could sense your presence, Stanley." Sam retorted.

"Or he knows Riley and Kat were calling from within the academy and figured there would be the chance you're on the other line." A female voice corrected.

"Hey, mom." Kat greeted.

"Your sister followed by me are going to have a discussion about not being captured later on." Six replied.

"Geez, we're like the only two that didn't have the don't get caught policy the twins? Casey couldn't get caught, apparently, Riley wasn't supposed to be caught, and now I'm not supposed to be caught." Kat huffed.

"Wait a second who's Riley?" Sam questioned. "Why is Nine on the other end? And where'd Kat get another red crystal?"

Riley heard laughter from her father and from the others on the other end.

"Sam, Riley is Nine's daughter no one knew about. Riley probably also has the red crystal in her inheritance from her father." Six slowly explained.

"I presume neither of you are gracing us with your presence tomorrow night?" Nine chuckled.

"I'd rather die at the hands of Setrakus Ra." Six bluntly answered.

"Can I take that option too?" Kat questioned.

"Katarina Sarah Goode you got caught so your punishment shall be attending the ball with your grandfather." Nine decided.

"Sounds fair." Riley chuckled.

"Anyone disagree?" Nine questioned.

"Send me pictures of that. I need a good laugh." Gia quipped.

Riley laughed while Kat looked furiously at the crystal.

"Traitor." Kat huffed.

"Good luck with them." Six chuckled.

"See ya." Nine smiled. Riley dropped the crystal onto the table.

"Goodnight ladies. Remember, nine a.m." Nine reminded before getting up and leaving.

"So we going to finish the movie?" Kat questioned.

"Duh." Riley laughed. She and Kat climbed back up on the couch and resumed Divergent.


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6

Riley had gotten up at eight, showered and dressed before going out the main room of their dorm. On the table sat a brown paper bag with a note. She yanked the note off and read it out of curiosity.

 _We decided to save you a trip and bring your breakfast. I recommend using the bacon to wake up Kat.  
_ _Malcolm  
_  
Riley chuckled and opened the bag. Inside we're two styrofoam takeout containers and two styrofoam cups. She took them all out and opened the two takeout containers. Six chocolate chip pancakes were in one and the other had eight big strips of bacon. She examined the cups. One had Riley written on the side and the other had Kat. She decided to be lazy and use her telepathy to wake Kat.

 _Rise and shine sunshine. Shower and I'll give you food._

 _Bite me, Riley. It's way too early to be doing this._

 _Come on Lexa going to be here soon._

 _I repeat my earlier statement. Way too early!_

 _Fine, you've had plenty of warning._

Riley walked over and pounded on Kats door.

"Get up!" She hollered.

No response. Riley opened the door and poked her head in.

"Come on princess, rise, and shine. It's a beautiful morning, the birds are singing, the sun is shining, the bacon is getting cold." Riley clapped her hands.

Kat telekinetically launched a pillow at her. Riley ducked and let it fly over her.

"Have your way then," Riley smirked. Using both her hands she telekinetically flipped Kat's bed.

"What the!" Kat started, instantly righting herself.

"Good morning sunshine." Riley chuckled turning around.

"Was that really necessary?" Kat huffed.

"Yes because you made it necessary," Riley smirked before leaving.

* * *

Nine was a blur as he headed for the gym. Malcolm's text "911 gym" was all he needed and meant only one thing. Father of the year was up to his old tricks again. This is has got to be the third time this week. No wonder the girls so frail. Her body can't physically take much more of this if he keeps persisting. He almost ripped the door off its hinges entering the building. Sydney was in there doubled over panting.

"Get up! You're never going to get better if you don't push yourself. Again!" An older gentleman with watermelons for arms demanded.

Nine also noticed to two poor peacekeepers that were shaking with fear. He knew the man was colonel Arnold, head of security, a waste of flesh, and a grade A jerk. Sadly he was also Sidney's father.

Sidney forced herself to stand up and turned to the one guard and all her muscles tensed. Sidney was drenched but it wasn't water it was sweat. Her short hair was plastered to her head with sweat too. He already knew her face would be the same color as scarlet. With a gasp, she fell to her knees and every muscle in her body trembled.

"Get up and do it again!" Arnold demanded.

"I can't!" Sidney cried, she stumbled when she talked.

"Again!" Arnold screamed at her.

"I can't it hurts!"

Before Nine could stop him Arnold approached his daughter and punched her in the jaw.

"You will do it again you worthless child or I will punish you again!" Arnold commanded.

"No please. I swear I can't do it again!" Sidney pleaded.

Arnold delivered a swift kick to her torso. Sidney was crying out in pain and agony now. Nine rushed forward and grabbed Arnold by the collar and threw him up against a nearby wall.

"What is wrong with you! This is child abuse!" Nine screamed at him.

"I'm helping her get better." He growled.

"This is not making her better. Look at her. She has barely eaten or slept in the past week and is a walking skeleton covered in bruises! She is not improving but deteriorating!" Nine barked at the man. "This is the third time this week I've caught you doing this to her. One more time and I'm reporting this to the board. She is still a child and this is child abuse. Now get outta my face before I pulverize you." Nine hissed.

He released Arnold. The man glared but stalked off. Nine rushed back to where Sidney was curled up on the floor barely making enough noise to signal she was in pain. She was literally barely more than a sack of bones, no meat on her bones. When he tilted her head to him her green eyes were hazy and practically glazed over. All the short spikes that were her hair regrowing were glued to her head with sweat. He scooped her up carefully. Her head slumped against her chest. She tried to say something but her eyes slid shut and her body went limp. Her nose started to bleed again. Nine cursed and speed out of there headed for the infirmary.  
She needed Taylor now.

Every healer they had was probably more like it.

Sidney had just turned sixteen two months ago. He should know as a birthday present father of the year had shaved her head so she could focus on her training. He'd never met a human he'd wanted to pound into the ground more than Arnold. But all that mattered currently was that Sidney survived long enough to get out of here.

* * *

Nine sighed and sunk into his chair and half-heartedly flipped through the paperwork on his desk. This day was just going to continue going downhill he feared. There was a knock on his door.

"It's me," Malcolm spoke.

"Come in, Malcolm." Nine called.

He stood up and looked out his window at the quad. He rubbed his shoulder where the prosthetic met his shoulder. Malcolm came in and shut the door behind him. He held a small folder against his chest with one lanky arm.

"How bad is it?" Nine questioned, he sounded very defeated.

"She'll pull through. Taylor, John, and Marina are all with her still." Malcolm softly explained.

Nine turned away from the window and ran a hand through his hair. He decided to sink into his couch. Malcolm picked a chair across from his to sit in.

"Sidney had a stroke, that's what caused the nose bleed. Taylor wanted to see if she'd recover without having to heal her but then Sidney had another seizure. Sidney's body has nothing left to fight with. They have her on an IV to rehydrate her and hope she'll pull through. All three did use their healing on her but you can't heal someone from pure exhaustion." Malcolm continued half-heartedly.

Nine could sense the sadness in his tone. He buried his face in his hands.

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? I could've stopped the egghead from nearly killing his daughter." Nine sighed.

"It's been a busy week. Lexa and I were getting our friends ready to evacuate Sidney and you seemed so flustered by the board that we couldn't bring it up. You seemed stressed enough. We instead sent her file to Gia to show to Casey and Cecilia. That they could come snatch Sidney before she died." Malcolm replied wearily.

"Well get ready to send them more info. I couldn't stop it but we can warn them." Nine spoke running his hands over his face.

Malcolm looked alarmed.

"What is it?" Malcolm questioned.

Then Nine's door opened and in came Lexa with both girls.

"Who died?" Riley questioned.

 _Damn it! I can't tell them about it. Riley and Kat can't know or it'll jeopardize their mission. Project LANE gene will only end in disaster._

Riley was surprised she was reading her father's mind. But she would ask in private what his thoughts meant. Nine forced a smile on his face.

"Did you have fun?"

Riley gave him a knowing look. She saw right through his happy mask.

"Are you sure I can't get out of this? The high heels will break my neck." Kat complained.

"You'll be fine. Now there's still time for you girls to see Susan. Good luck." Nine suggested.

 _What are you hiding?_ Riley mentally asked him before leaving.

Once both girls with girls were gone Lexa shut the door.

"Okay who forgot to mention my daughter is telepathic?" Nine sarcastically questioned.

Both of them looked confused.

"Excellent no one knew she's telepathic moving on." Nine leaned back and crossed his arms.

"What's the major malfunction I've missed?" Lexa inquired, sitting next to Nine on the couch.

"Before I had to go deal with the father of the year I was reading a file emailed to me by Earth Garde. Do you know what they've been working on? It's horrendous. Humanity finally has its cure." Nine angrily explained.  
"But that's not all, they've found the location of the refugee camp. Tomorrow morning they're going to pull out all the stops and attack the camp. Approximately four hundred people are now at risk."

* * *

Riley tripped on her skirt as she left her room to sit in the main room and wait for Kat. She sat down on the couch and slipped her silver heels on. Her silky navy blue dress was beautiful but the skirt had a lot of layers, too much for her. As if on cue there was a knock on their door and she got it. A woman wearing a pretty yet simple teal ball gown stood there. She wore white wedges and her blonde hair was swept up in a simple updo held in place by a silver clip.

"Hey, Taylor." Riley greeted letting her in.

"Riley please tell me you're not going to be like your father and wear your hair down?" She questioned.

Riley laughed. "I heard that he was going to wear a man bun."

"Sounds about right. Now sit down." Taylor commanded.

Riley sat down at the little table they had in there room. Riley handed over to two silver combs with what looked like sapphires decorating them. To Riley, this was standard protocol. At the end of summer right before she leaves for school is another similar event to celebrate the opening of the academy so many years ago. Taylor went to work skillfully working with her nimble hands.

"You should've gone to school for cosmetology." Riley teased.

Taylor laughed. "If I did that I couldn't use my legacies as often. What's the point in having a healing legacy if I don't use it?"

"Good point."

"Besides who would keep your father in line? Lexa can't do it all the time. And what would you do without me?" Taylor inquired.

"Figure out how to do my own hair." Riley quipped.

Taylor chuckled. "I'm sure you'd manage. Who does your hair when you with your mom?" Taylor inquired.

"Myself. As if I'd let her or anyone else do it." Riley huffed.

Taylor stifled a laugh and continued working. She has just finished when they heard Kat grunt in annoyance from her room for the millionth time.

"You okay Kat?" Riley questioned. Kat's door opened and she walked out holding her dress up.

"Remind me to kill your father." She grumbled.  
Taylor smiled and walked over to help Kat.

"You do know telekinesis is a great help with zippers you can't reach," Taylor suggested.

Kat rolled her hazel eyes in annoyance. "Now do I seriously have to wear this? What is this even!" Kat demanded, holding up a pair of stockings.

"It's stocking Kat. They're like leggings." Riley explained.

"Come on I'll help. They are a hard thing to get on." Taylor suggested.  
She followed Kat into Kat's room. Riley could sense the amusement Taylor was trying not to show. Had Kat seriously never seen stockings before?

* * *

Riley was reading the book she'd brought with them while waiting. Yes, she brought a book on a mission.

Ya never know when you'll need a book.

Besides, it was a book given to her by Mrs. Raya. It was a worn hardcover book that was a faded blue. The writing on the side was missing letters but she knew the title. Son of Neptune. It was the second book in that series Mrs. Raya has given her. It was one of her favorites. But then someone knocked on the door. She put her book back in her backpack and went to get it. It was Malcolm and Nine. Both stared at her in awe. Riley smiled and let them in.

"Riley you get more and more beautiful each year." Nine complimented.

"And from what I've heard you get drunker each year." Riley teased.

"Lexa." He sighed.

"Where is she by the way?" Riley questioned.

"Bowing out for the evening. Someone's gotta watch Sidney." Malcolm answered.

"Kat?"Nine questioned.

"Still with Taylor," Riley answered, trying to keep the smile off her face.

Then Nine's phone chirped. "Come on. Now what?" He muttered pulling it out of his pocket.

"Malcolm, they require our presence again. Board meeting to discuss the grand reveal tonight. Make sure everyone is on the same page." Nine explained, sounding rather annoyed.

"It's a good thing all the other members are human. If not we'd be in trouble." Malcolm chuckled. Nine laughed.

 _Because we are so not on the same page about what's going down tonight_.

Riley looked at father, slightly startled to have read that thought. This was hopeless, her telepathy turned on and off haphazardly. She tried to send one back.

 _What is it, dad?_

Nine looked alarmed before turning to leave with Malcolm.

 _Riley? Are you reading my mind?_

Riley sat back down on the couch.

 _Not intentionally but accidentally got a thought._

 _And what thought was that? That you're becoming such a beautiful young lady?_

 _Cut the crap dad, what is going down tonight?_

 _Come find me when Taylor gets the pair of you there. We'll stroll through the garden with Kat."_

 _I'm holding you two that._

 _Of course. Now get out of my head. I don't want you to be broadcasting my thoughts on our wonderful board._

 _Hey, I have no control over what I do read so I'll try my best._

 _Riley._ He warned.

 _Yes, father._ Then she distracted herself by continuing her book.

After a few more chapters Taylor and Kat emerged. Kat was wearing a dark shimmering green ball gown with off the shoulder sleeves. Underneath were black strappy wedges. She had similar jewelry except for gold whereas Riley's was silver. Kat's hair had been put into a braided crown and secured at the back of her head with jeweled pins.

"I don't remember signing up for this," Kat grumbled.

"Where they'd go?" Taylor inquired.

"Last minute board meeting for final details." Riley groaned.

"Well, then I guess I'm supposed to escort you to the building. Maybe that's why I was told I had to come tonight." Taylor shrugged. She opened the door and they filed out.

* * *

The building was still the same as last year for a different ball Riley attended. The decorations were elegant and fancy, go figure. The theme seemed to be Earth Garde colors, blue, green, and white. Taylor led them through the crowds trying to find Nine and Malcolm or John and Marina, not that Riley knew those two. Taylor finally had spotted them in with another couple whispering in the corner. She was just about to start shoving through the crowds of ball gowns, tuxedos, and military uniforms when a male voice called out.

"Hey, where's your anatomy book?" Taylor turned around and her face lit up.

"Kopano!" She squealed.

"Hey what about us? We chopped liver? After all the work it took to get Nigel presentable." A Spanish woman teased.

"What are all you guys doing here?" Taylor questioned.

"No bloody clue." A man answered.

"Nigel! Looking snazzy in that suit." Taylor complimented.

"Nine invited us as a surprise for you." The African boy answered.

Riley grabbed Kat and they pushed their way to the corner where Nine was talking quietly. It was just him and Malcolm now.

"Alright, I promised an explanation for two and a moonlight stroll through the garden." Riley huffed.

"Malcolm you can go talk to John and Marina some more if you want." Nine suggested.

Malcolm seemed to knowingly nod and slip away.

"Come on. This way." Nine gestured to a side door with glass etching a few feet away.

Once outside he clasped his hands behind his back and casually strolled through the small garden path leading to the beach.

"I swear I had no clue about any of this until this morning when it was in my email. Earth Garde has been researching and has come up with something new." Nine started.

Riley could sense he was dancing around the subject.

"Spit it out, dad," Riley demanded.

"Earth Garde has finally found the cure humanity has been waiting for." Nine sighed. His face fell and his shoulders slumped. He stopped at the edge of the garden and beginning of the beach.

"But that's not all. Tomorrow morning they're going to descend on the refugee camp with no mercy."

"How do they know where it is!" Kat demanded, throwing her hands up in the air and getting in his face.

"I couldn't tell you but the location is south of Rainbow waterfall down Peter's kill to where it passes Lake Awosting. The land in between Peter's kill and Lake Awosting is where they have set up camp." Nine answered solemnly. Kat cursed and kicked the ground.

"The moment this is over feel free to get out with Sidney." Nine replied.

"John is paging me. It's time for the festivities to begin." With this announcement, he turned on heel and lead them back through the garden to the banquet hall.


	7. Chapter 7

Part 7

Riley decided that this ball was even deader than the one she always attends at the end of summer. It was way too stuffy or maybe that's because she kept picking up on the tension in the room. Maybe it was because she was mentally planning their escape. Kat seemed nervous as they sat at a table with Nine, Malcolm, and the rest of the board. Riley never hated the world more than currently.

Why couldn't people just accept legacies and get over it? Not all of them are dangerous criminals. Stupid government, stupid laws, stupid science, stupid judgemental humans.

She picked at her dinner because she nor Kat had an appetite. Her father didn't scold her for it either for he ate very little too. Their table had a perfect view of the stage. Their dinner plates were cleared away and the lights on the stage flicked on. A man in a crisp and clean suit walked on stage with a beaming smile. She already hated him.

"A little over twenty-one years ago, an alien war going on under our noses had come to the surface and due to alien activity, human beings started developing what is called legacies. Every since then, humans have been researching for ways to prevent, to contain, to train, and to cure these legacies thrusted on us by another species without our input."

Riley sensed her father tense, she reached under the table and put a hand over his. She didn't like this speech either but he couldn't go pound the guy into the ground.

"These human Garde have numerous ways to escape us and have banded together into there own system. Tomorrow morning officials from all over are going to be converging and taking down the refugee camp. We have discovered their location."

Riley put a hand on Kat underneath the table to keep her in place. it wouldn't end well for anyone if either of them pummeled the guy.

"But ladies and gentlemen after years and years of researching and testing we have found your cure." He pulled what looked like a vaccine out of his coat pocket. "One injection into a major artery will cure anyone of their curse. It will take up to a full twenty-four hours to take full effect." He cracked his neck and rolled shoulders.

"Now for a demonstration." He raised his arms in victory.

Two guards dragged a limp girl onto the stage. She was maybe fifteen or sixteen and skinny like noodles. She looked at the crowd with a dazed look.

"This is Violet Johnson. She has destroyed a whole school, leveled whole squadrons of troops, destroyed two processing centers, and injured numerous people. She can't be trained and is, therefore, a danger to the public. With just one injection of this serum, we can stop all this chaos and loss." The man spoke like he'd found the cure for cancer or was condemning a prisoner who killed the President and then went on a murder spree of the whole government. Like his actions were justified.

The man in one swift move stabbed her in the neck with it and pushed the plunger. The girl's body tensed and jolted. She screamed as her body started shaking violently. Then she slumped against the two guards looking awfully pale.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I present the cure to legacies!" He cheered.

The crowd roared in approval. It made Riley sick to her stomach. She sensed Kat and her father's disgust as well. That poor girl was now probably in so much pain and agony. The boy named Nigel from earlier charged on stage.

"What the bloody heck is wrong with you!" He demanded, shoving the talker guy.

"Relax it's for the best. Now society is safer." He calmly replied.

"I don't care about society, you can't treat her or any of us like defective toys that can just be thrown out!" Nigel argued.

Others started joining him on stage. Nine nudged Riley. Riley used a new tactic with her telepathy. She was a radio searching for the right signal.

 _John Smith. Come in John Smith._ She called, blocking out everything else.

 _Who's this?_ Came a masculine voice in her head.

 _Riley Worthington, daughter of Nine. Nice to meet you. Can you alert the refugee camp? Kat nor I can do it as fast as you could. They have a mole. Your our safest bet of alerting them without alerting the mole._ Riley replied.

 _Nice to meet you, Riley. Are you the girl sitting next to Nine?_

 _Yes, now please help us save our home. I've only been there a few days but we can't let them be caught._ Riley pleaded.

 _Alright, relax I got it. My own children are still there. Worry about your own safety now. Things seem to be getting heated._ John cautioned.

 _You got it._ She answered.

Nine leaned over and whispered.

"Now would be an excellent time to get outta here. I'll say you guys got sick."

"But won't they suspect? I'm sitting right next to you." Riley argued.

"Very logical point. Tonight after lights out get out of here with Sidney, conscious or not." Nine suggested.

"Of course." She nodded.

"Stay safe Ri."

"Same to you." Nine put a hand on her shoulder.

"Never forget I'm proud to have you have a daughter okay? You're doing excellent work." He encouraged.

Riley smiled and then watched the chaos unfold on stage where a bunch of other people who must be human Garde who also took offense were ganging up on the guy. She wouldn't blame them for being offended. If she could she'd toss the guy to the next planet.

* * *

Kat paced back and forth while Riley packed.

"How are you so calm and unaffected?" Kat finally demanded.

"Because I've grown up around it. Yes, it's horrific and awful what they're doing but I've just grown up with it. The officials that look down upon the students here. There are the ones that wish they could just banish all the troublemakers to Siberia. The ones that see legacies as either a disease or a tool to be used. That's what they're doing now. Treating legacies like a disease that needs to be cured." Riley argued, she tossed the bags on the couch, her backpack and Kat's.

They'd both ditched the formal attire for stretchy shirts and leggings. Riley slipped her backpack on and looked at Kat.

"Let's get this show on the road," Riley suggested.

Kat grabbed her pack and followed her out. The stealthily slunk across campus to the infirmary. Taylor met them outside with Sidney's limp body in her arms. She carefully and gently placed Sidney in Riley's waiting arms.

 _Okay, we still haven't discussed how exactly we're leaving._ Riley told Kat.

 _Trust me. Head to the beach now._ Kat mentally reassured.

By the light from the moonlight, they picked their way towards the beach.

* * *

The stars twinkled at them as they strode through academy grounds. Sidney felt like a dead weight in Riley's arms, if it wasn't for the small shallow breaths the girl took Riley would say she was dead. Eventually, they left the buildings behind and the path turned from pavement to dirt underneath their sneakers. The Pacific Ocean opened up in front of them, glistening like it was lined with silver. The sand squished under them as Kat casually approached the water. She pulled an odd looking trinket from her bag and blew into it.

"Wait for it." Kat held up a hand as if sensing Riley's confusion.

After a few minutes, a turtle crawled out of the water onto the sand. Riley was even more lost now. Kat knelt down and petted the turtle's shell.

"Good girl."

"Umm, I feel like I'm missing something extremely important." Riley chose her words carefully.

"Aqua we need some transportation can you help us?" Kat inquired.

The turtle didn't move a muscle.

"Come on Aqua. I know you can do it." Kat encouraged.

Riley sighed. Kat was crazy and they still didn't know how to get out of the academy. The girl was talking to a turtle.

"Didn't your parents or even grandfather tell you his name?" A male voice teased.

It sounded just like the voice in Riley's head earlier. John Smith and a woman were walking down the path towards them.

"No, I've never had to use her before, only my parents do. I guessed her name." Kat admitted. Riley guessed the pregnant woman next to him had to be his wife, Marina.

"Gamera, transform please." John casually asked.

The turtle looked at him before the weirdest thing Riley ever saw happened. The very ordinary looking turtle transformed into a large winged creature. He was now an odd looking combination of horse, eagle, and maybe lizard? He flapped his wings impatiently.

"Your chariot awaits you, ladies. Good luck." John gestured to Gamera. Kat climbed up on and reached down for Sidney. Riley passed her up and turned to face the blonde man.

"Thanks." She nodded, waving to him.

"It was a pleasure to finally meet you, Riley. Stay safe." John nodded, returning her wave.

Riley climbed up on and adjusted Sidney. They took off into the night sky and left the Human Garde academy behind.

* * *

Riley didn't bother to ask how Kat knew where the others would be but focused on keeping Sidney on the chimæra. Eventually, they descended from the stars into a dark parking lot. They climbed off and Gamera transformed back into a turtle that Kat picked up.

They'd landed in the parking lot of a Motel Eight. Kat walked up to the second floor of the outdoor entrances of motel rooms. Room 202 she knocked on the door.

Three rapid knocks than a pause, then three more rapid knocks before a small pause, and then three more rapid knocks. Sam opened the door and let them in.

"See it's crime for me to crack Greek mythology jokes with Riley but Kat and Sam are using the Big Bang theory as their secret code. This is hypocrisy." Casey pointed out.

"No, it's a dictatorship. Now shut up." Six sharply answered.

Riley observed the room. Six was still laying in one of the beds like she had been sleeping. Gia and Adelina were in the second bed looking half asleep. Henri was sprawled out on a blanket on the floor in front of their bed. Casey was also on a blanket on the floor in front of the bed Six was in.

"Anything urgent? Or can we go back to sleep?" Six inquired.

"Sleep sounds nice but no. We have many urgent problems that require us to move." Riley replied.

"Last time I had to wake up in the middle of the night and run I think Setrákus Ra was alive." Six grumbled, sliding out of bed and grabbing a bag before heading for the bathroom.

"She's a little sleepy." Sam quietly answered.

Two minutes later Six emerged and sat on the corner of the bed ready to pounce at a moment's notice.

"So your escape not so discreet?" Six questioned.

"No, they don't know we're missing yet. But some disturbing developments came to light tonight at the ball." Riley started, trying to find the words to continue.

"Yes there's this horrible invention called pantyhose and then there are zippers that are impossible to reach. Don't get me started on the cursed heels with their funky straps and buckles." Kat commented. Riley heard the subtle chuckled and snorts. Six cracked a smile.

"Besides playing dress up with Kat. Earth Garde has made a serum that can permanently disable legacies. They call it a cure, like legacies are a disease now. But it gets worse. They're going to the camp tomorrow. They found out the location, there's a mole in the refugee camp." Riley explained.

"It's almost an exact location," Kat added.

"Camp will divide up into smaller groups for safety and easier to slowly drain out without the mole knowing." Sam shrugged.

"Alright everyone pack up." Six commanded.

"Hand over the turtle Kat. Sam and I will use it to get to camp and help Ella evacuate the children of the Garde. John and Marina, I presume left campus too?" Six rapidly questioned.

"They were probably planning on it shortly after us. They met us on the beach as we were leaving." Kat answered.

Adelina and Sam helped Gia into her wheelchair, Casey and Henri packed up the stuff scattered around the room.

"As soon as you're all packed I recommend you make your own small group and find a place to duck and cover. Sounds like it's about to become a dangerous time to be a Garde, human or not." Six suggested.

"I love you, mom. Stay safe." Kat hugged Six. Then she hugged Sam.

"I love ya dad. Keep mom safe."

Sam chuckled. "I have no control over your mother dear. We'll see you eventually."

"We'll say hi to your folks for ya Adel and Henri. The mountains sound like a very safe location currently." Six quipped. Sam chuckled.

Shortly they all walked out into the night. Where they were going was unknown but at least they'd be together. Strength in numbers was Riley's father's philosophy. Strength in numbers would keep them safe.


	8. Chapter 8

Two weeks later

The rain was coming down in blinding sheets that soaked one to the bone. Splashing through the puddles underfoot and running through the wet streets and alleys. The two bodies ran together and ducked into an abandoned warehouse to escape the rain. Riley yanked her drenched hoodie off and threw it on a hook.

"Perfect day to be a duck." She commented.

Kat chuckled and stripped her hoodie off as well.

"Now Kat I got a legit question before we go see the others," Riley spoke cautiously and slowly.

"What?" Kat questioned.

"The first day I was in camp why did you randomly tell me not to wash my hair? I've been wondering." Riley chuckled.

Kat burst into laughter.

"I'd completely forgot about that. In our original plan, we were all going to sneak into that ball incognito. If Casey approved my thought of you being part of the team I was going to bleach your hair for your disguise." Kat answered.

"Who says I would've agreed to that?" Riley huffed.

"Eh, Casey can be very convincing when he wants." She shrugged, but she had a mischievous grin.

Riley laughed and walked into the main room.

"Honey I'm home!" Riley called.

She walked over to where Casey was sitting with Gia by the tech. She rested her head on his and wrapped her wet arms around his neck.

"Riley!" He complained. "You're wet."

"Yeah, that's what happens when it rains outside." She teased.

"Do you mind?" Casey questioned, emerald eyes looking up at her.

"Nope." Riley laughed.

She released him and walked over to her cot on the ground. She dug into her backpack for a change of clothes and stripped right then and there. Casey gave an inappropriate whistle. Somehow a random metal pole floated up and whacked him upside the head. Casey mournfully rubbed his head.

"That was completely deserved." Gia quipped.

A small and light laugh came to the corner. Henri was sitting on the mattress in the corner with Sidney. He'd been reading The Son of Neptune to her. Riley had lent it to him.

The laugh had come from Sidney. She had started regaining consciousness about five days ago. Slowly Sidney was regaining her strength, still not using any of her legacies.

Riley slipped a new shirt and pants on and walked over to Casey in her socks. Kat was still undressing her soaked clothing. Casey whistled appreciatively at her. A shoe came from Kat's direction and smacked him straight in the face. Riley laughed.

"Listen pervert. Don't make me start calling you Zeus." She teased.

"I'm sorry was that a burn? I barely felt a pinch." Casey smirked, looking up at her.

"Listen wise guy." Riley flicked him on the nose. He wrinkled his nose in response.

"So what's the good or bad news?" Gia questioned, turning her wheelchair around to face Riley and Kat. Kat had finished dressing and walked over to sit on an old bench they'd found.

"Good news is we haven't spotted one Earth Garde official yet," Kat answered.

"Seattle is a sanctuary city butthead." Casey chided.

"Ya know what?" Kat demanded, planting her hands firmly on the bench and leaning forward.

"Children," Adelina warned. She plopped down next to Kat.

"Bad news is that Casey might be killed by his peers." Riley quipped. She plopped down on his lap.

"Can I help you?" He questioned.

"There is no help for me." Riley gave him her best innocent grin.

"Well, Lexa's got all sorts of bad news for us. Where shall I start? The big file Lexa found on Earth Garde servers called The Book of LANEs? The fact that all the original Garde have gone into hiding except for Nine? Or maybe I should start with Cecilia's bad news? With a full report for Casey about the evacuation of the camp?" Gia drawled.

"What the crap is a LANE?" Kat huffed.

"Legacy afflicted native earthling. It was the original name for human Garde. There was also legacy augmented native earthling depending on who you ask." Riley answered casually.

"Do I even want to know?" Gia inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"What? My father told me all sorts of stories growing up. Sue me." Riley huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Kat leave it at that. The Book of LANEs is pretty much a giant database of everyone who lived in the refugee camp. Except Lexa has made notes next to each name. Those who have been caught and the price tags for the ones who haven't." Gia explained, giving her sister a silencing look.

"Price tags? Like a bounty on each head?" Casey questioned.

"Exactly my perverse friend," Gia answered with a smile.

"Perverse?" Casey questioned in shock.

"Perverse, it means she's calling you a pervert. Which you are." Riley smirked at him.

"Such as Casey is worth ten grand. Cecilia is worth twelve grand." Gia read.

"Why is Ceci worth more than me?" Casey scoffed.

"Because the academy is very familiar with Cecilia's work. She has been wanted longer than most of us have been alive." Riley explained to him. She seemed to keep correcting him.

"I'm going to start calling you Athena if you keep this up." Casey threatened.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Riley retorted.

Gia laughed and continued reading. "The rest of us are one hundred bucks, although Riley care to explain why your two hundred bucks? Actually, all Garde children are bringing in more than a hundred. Kat, we're worth one hundred seventy-five each. Adelina you and your brother combined bring in three hundred. One fifty each."

"Why would we cost more?" Adelina cautiously questioned.

"Alien blood is worth more?" Casey joked. Riley reached up behind her and smacked his cheek.

"A parent's love for their child is their greatest weakness." Kat simply answered.

"So there going to use us against our own parents? Why doesn't that surprise me?" Riley questioned exasperated.

"Because this is what the world has come too." Gia pessimistically answered without looking away from her screen.

"So don't get caught." Kat summed up.

"If we're in a sanctuary city as stated by Casey were safe here aren't we?" Riley inquired.

Gia shrugged. "For the moment we are safe. That's all I can say."

"Next topic is either the fact that all the original Garde minus Nine have taken their families and fallen off the face of the planet or Cecilia's report."

"Is all the Garde going into hiding really a topic? They've all gone into hiding for their safety and their families safety." Casey impatiently stated.

"So then there is Cecilia's report. The first numbers are one hundred out of four hundred and twelve were captured. Thirty-two groups escaped and scattered. Ella rounded up all Garde children and with the help of Six, Sam, John, and Marina they all evacuated to a safer place." Gia never looked up from her tablet.

"That safer place is probably the meeting chamber up in the Himalayas where we live," Adelina added.

"That's gotta be fun, no technology, no water, no electricity." Gia quipped with a small grin.

"There's electricity for somethings. We have a generator." Adelina argued.

"Alright continue on the report." Casey reminded Gia. He shot Adelina a look.

"Cecilia has a group of nine with her. She has Chase and a bunch of the younger ones that are weaker. Were supposed to stay safe and under the radar." Gia finally looked up and met Casey's eyes.

His green eyes darkened as if what Gia had said had filled them with darkness.

"I should've been there." He spoke softly.

"We couldn't have known. Our mission was already in phase two before anyone knew we were in danger." Kat reassured.

"But one-fourth of the camp was caught. What will they do to them? Strip them of their legacies? Kill them? Torture them for info? If I had been there." Riley felt his body tense.

"Casey. You did fine. What good would it have done for you throw yourselves at them? You're important to the cause. We can't lose you too." Riley wrapped an arm around his shoulders and leaned back to face him. She spoke softly as gently to him.

Casey caressed her cheek and knelt down until their foreheads touched.

"Thank you, Riley. I don't think I could do this without you." He whispered.

Riley felt herself blush at their closeness. Her heart was racing and her stomach was doing jumping jacks. He lifted her chin to his and planted a kiss on her lips. For a minute she froze, unsure what to do. But then she let it all go. She wrapped both arms around his neck and returned the affection he was pouring into her.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen don't make me hose the pair of you down," Kat announced rather annoyed.

Riley senses her words carried an extra sharp edge for some unknown reason. She detected the slightest bit of hurt in her voice but trying to mask it. She filed that little tidbit away for future contemplations.

"Yeah, we got to look on the bright side. There's still three hundred and twelve of us to fight back. We're not out of the fight yet." Adelina cheerily replied.

Riley had to appreciate Adelina's naivety some days because it lead to optimism. The girl was so full of optimism and pure joy. Riley smirked at Casey.

"Please don't." He groaned.

"We may have lost the battle but we may yet win the war." Riley gleefully replied.

Everyone cheered at that. Even Sidney tried from her corner. Henri laughed at her attempt. Even though it sounded like a mouse's squeak it warmed Riley's heart that there was hope for them. Earth Garde had no clue what they'd started. They maybe shattered but nowhere near out for the count.


	9. Chapter 9

**This is the beginning of the next segment. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for reading this far!**

Part 1

Gia chuckled as she heard Riley call Adel's bluff again.

"I believe the deck is yours." Henri quipped.

Gia continued her surveillance of the internet. It had now been a little over a month since it all went down. Everything had settled down by now, the hunt for them had fallen out of the public's eyes. But that didn't mean Earth Garde wasn't still out there waiting for them.

She continued to scan the headlines. Her laptop chirped for an incoming email. She turned from her setup to her laptop and opened the new email. Her laptop was completely secured from anything that could give her away. Only her parents and grandfather could contact it. The email was her grandfather Malcolm.

 _Gia I've been researching the supposed cure. It works like an antibiotic almost. Legacies are genetic I believe either inherited or a genetic mutation or both. Like a disease the antibiotics kill it and the body disposed of it. They can't identify a source of it though so that's why it takes a day to fully take effect. Legacies aren't in a specific part of the body their everywhere and it's different for everyone. But they've only tested it on human Garde. I think it only works because these people are still human, just with legacies. If I understand how it works it shouldn't work on Garde like your mother or Henri and Adelina. Because they don't have a single human strand of DNA in them. It's all Loric inside them. I hope you're all safe and sound. I love you both._

 _Malcolm_

Gia sighed and closed the email. She heard Adelina squeal with joy and call out Riley. Gia shook her head and laughed.

"Alright, guys keep it down while I listen to the scanner frequencies." Gia chuckled.

She turned to a different device and put on her headset. First was the police channels. Which were usually very boring, maybe a petty crime or a car chase. But today they were alive with communication of lots of officers. She pulled up her map on another screen and looked for the location of all the commotion. Volunteer Park in the heart of Seattle, Lincoln Park on the outskirts, Freeway park nestled into the urban area, and Carkeek park to the north. Units were scrambling to cover such a vast area.

Protesters by the hundreds were spreading out throughout the city. She rolled back over to her laptop and pulled up the news, what had the whole city stirred up? She couldn't believe she's missed it earlier it was practically everywhere. Congress was working on a law to ban sanctuary cities for Human Garde. It was up for vote on Capitol Hill.

"Holy crap." She muttered.

She yanked her headset off and faced the others.

"I'd be on high alert now. Seattle is exploding with protestors."

"Congress is working on making a bill that would ban sanctuary cities for Human Garde," Gia announced.

"Can they do that?" Adelina questioned cautiously.

"Yeah does it really matter what Congress says about sanctuary cities? Earth Garde is an international organization. Isn't the UN above them?" Sidney inquired. Gia gave Riley a sharp look.

"Well? What's the official verdict Mrs know it all?" Gia glared.

"All I know is Earth Garde funds the academy and EG. Don't ask me who's the head honcho. I'd assume it's who holds the purse strings." Riley shrugged.

"Why are we quoting Mrs. Litia?" Casey chuckled. He walked in with Kat.

"Discussing who's the head honcho of Earth Garde," Gia answered.

"You say my father I bean you," Riley warned.

"Oh I know for a fact if he was the head honcho of EG things would be very different," Casey smirked.

"We'd all have very different lives." Kat scoffed.

"So the UN can do whatever they want pretty much." Gia groaned, turning back to her computers.

"No, they can't storm into any country without reason. Just like the police can't break into houses without justifiable cause. EG can't just start ripping apart the world until they find each and every last of us." Riley explained.

"So in the case, we get caught the only one guaranteed safety is Riley," Casey replied casually.

"Oh really? Says who?" Riley inquired with a smirk. She knew his answer but needed to hear it for herself.

"Because your father is professor Nine. The head of the Human Garde Academy. EG doesn't want to tick off your father by curing you so you get the free pass because your father is the big bad wolf." Casey answered with a grin.

"And yet again the one who doesn't even know how to control herself gets the free pass because of daddy." Gia drawled, voice dripping with disdain.

"I thought you got over this weeks ago." Riley groaned. Gia whirled her wheelchair back around to face her.

"Does this look like it'll go away in a few weeks?" Gia featured to her legs. "No, it never will so bite me, princess." Gia hissed. She turned back towards her tech and put her headset back on. Riley heard Kat sigh in defeat.

"I apologize that my sister has a double dose of our mother's temper." Kat frowned.

"Is she ever going to get over the fact that the loss of her legs isn't my fault?" Riley huffed.

"I believe you have a better chance of Earth Garde leaving us alone than Gia getting over that." Casey quipped.

"Or Adelina winning this game." Henri joked. Adelina glared at her twin brother and put down another card.

Katarina laughed as Casey tried sparring with Riley but she had to admit the girl was getting good. She was flickering in and out of sight and when she appeared she was on the offensive with no mercy. Casey kept tripping over his own feet trying to keep up with her.

Kat knew if Riley didn't knock him down soon she was going to run out of steam and get creamed by him. They'd been going for almost ten minutes and Riley hadn't been able to hold it for more than ten minutes. Casey dodged the spiky green ball assault and dived for where it came from. With a cry of alarm, he managed to break her concentration.

They both tumbled to the ground and Riley flailed in his grip. Kat already knew the girl's last line of defense and it wasn't going to be pretty for Casey. Riley smacked the floor with her open palm and instantly her body shifted to become like cement. Casey didn't have time to recover before she nailed him straight in the jaw. There was a horrifying crunch of bones breaking Casey crumpled to the ground. He let out a moan of agony. Riley reverted back to normal. She braced her hands on her knees and panted. Adelina tossed her a bottle of water and then walked over to Casey. She knelt next to him and went to work on his broken jaw.

Sidney clapped enthusiastically. "That was amazing!"

Henri chuckled. "You are getting significantly better than since we met you."

Gia scoffed from her corner with the software.

"Problem?" Riley inquired, hands on her hips with an eyebrow raised.

"Nope, not one single problem." Gia casually replied, but Riley sensed the tenseness in her tone.

She was biting her tongue, a skill Riley had come to believe the girl didn't possess. The music coming from the radio stopped and a crackly voice came across the airwaves.

"Betrayed by one of their own, the remainder forced to scatter. Five gone and five remain. Are you guys out there?" It spoke.

Gia glared at the radio before setting to work. Objects started floating around her workstation as she started mumbling to herself.

"Whatcha ya doin G?" Kat questioned.

"Getting ready to get us some info should that come on again." Gia snapped. The radio crackled with static for five minutes as they all anxiously waited.

A cough echoed over the airwaves.

"One fell at eight. Two fell at twelve. Three fell at sixteen. Four will fall next. Is anyone out there?" The voice spoke.

"It sounds female," Adelina commented.

Gia was madly working as the voice goes silent. Everyone else went silent waiting for more.

"Five betrayed his kind again. Are the rest of you out there?" The voice questioned.

"One more moment," Gia mumbled.

The radio went static again.

"Ahah! Got them!" Gia exclaimed.

The radio gave a sharp and loud sound of feedback and the music resumed.

"Who was that?" Sidney quivered.

"Obviously someone who knows the tale of the original Garde," Henri replied.

"So where we gonna G?" Kat questioned.

"We are," Gia corrected.

"Hold up. Pause for a moment. Let's think about this." Riley held up her hands. "We can't be brash or we'll be the next group to fall to EG. Didn't your parents teach you anything?" Riley inquired, looking at Kat.

"Our father told us about the internet post number two did hours before the Mogadorians killed her." Adelina offered.

"Exactly," Riley spoke with certainty.

"And that Six's Cêpan commented on it which led to the Mogs capturing them weeks later." Henri helpfully added.

"Leading to the demise of her Cêpan." Adelina finished with a regretful sigh.

Gia scoffed in annoyance.

"So we need to think about this and approach with caution," Casey replied.

"How do you know it's not another group of refugees begging for help?" Kat demanded.

"How do you know it's not EG trying to smoke us out?" Riley shot back.

"Ladies." Casey interrupted, holding up his hands.

"We don't know either that's the point. The source of our radio pirates is or was broadcasting from Olympia Regional Airport. Feeding off the airports radio tower." Gia answered.

"If it's coming from an airport what's the chances EG is screwing with us?" Kat questioned.

"It's a fifty-fifty shot." Casey and Riley answered unanimosly.

"If it's our friends Earth Garde why would they use an airport radio tower? Don't they got their own radios strong enough to broadcast statewide?" Gia inquired.

"But they could be trying to throw us off scent and make it look like another fracture of the camp is trying to get help," Casey argued.

"Or it could actually be our compatriots begging for help as a last resort," Kat demanded.

"Shut up!" Adelina hollered. They all stopped and stared at her in awe.

"Kat, why don't you assign two of us to scout it out? How far away is Olympia airport from here? How are we getting there? What if it is actually a group asking for help? What if it's EG trying to smoke us out?" Adelina buried Kat in questions.

"I'll go." Riley offered.

"You most certainly will not. Why must you keep throwing yourself to the wolves?" Casey argued.

"Casey you are way too valuable to everyone to go. I'm expendable. Besides, think about it for a moment. I'm the daughter of Nine who is the head of the Human Garde Academy. Even if I'm caught they won't dare use the cure on me without inflicting my father's all-encompassing wrath on them." Riley pointed out.

Casey's shoulders slumped in defeat.

"She has a point," Kat remarked.

"Your worse than Ceci." He groaned.

"Who goes with her though?" Gia questioned.

"Sidney stays put, you and Casey aren't going either." Kat listed off.

Gia rolled her hazel eyes commanding older sister.

"Much as it will irritate you I'll go with her. That way, either way, we're prepared." Kat decided.

"Awesome when we leave and how we leave?" Riley inquired, bouncing to her feet.

"Olympia regional is only about a little more than an hour south," Gia added.

"I hijack a car and Riley hides under a blanket?" Kat suggested.

Riley rolled her bright blue eyes at the stupidity of the idea.

"How do you plan to hide someone who is six and a half feet tall?" Henri quipped.

Casey laughed. "He's got ya there Ri."

"Well, I'm available to any other options?" Kat huffed.

Casey locked eyes with Riley and smirked.

 _Don't you dare or I will cave in your skull._ Riley warned.

 _Trust me Ri. I got a very different idea._ He teased.

 _Remember, I can cave in your skull._ Riley reminded.

"How about we use a Xithras stone? Kat can shapeshift but she can also infuse one with that ability and give to Riley? Then Riley could shapeshift." Casey suggested.

"Riley your father gave you one right?" Kat questioned.

"Duh." She answered.

"Okay, we'll start packing and leave immediately. Gia finds out anything and everything about what we're walking into." Kat requested.

Riley could've sworn she saw Gia sneer at her sister and mutter to herself as she went back to her technology. Gia was getting crankier by the day.

Right before they left Casey snagged Riley away from Kat.

"You will be coming back to me this time. I don't like you going out when you still need lots of training." Casey frowned.

"I'll be fine Casey. Have a little faith in me. Besides, it's probably nothing." Riley reassured. He pecked her on the cheek.

"Just be safe Ri." He sighed.

"Come on Riley! If we leave now we can be there and back before dark." Kat called from the door.

"Love you, see you tonight." Riley smiled. She kissed his cheek before walking over to Kat.

"You got two hours before I'll need to recharge it," Kat advised, tossing her the yellow stone. Riley caught it and chuckled.

"Let's get this show on the road."


	10. Chapter 10

Part 2

"So Gia tell me where we're going. If they're broadcasting from the radio tower would they have to physically be connected to it?" Kat questioned into her crystal. She's wrapped it up except for the tip where her finger touched it and she spoke into it.

"They're not actually using the radio tower, the transmitter is actually just stronger than originally assumed. They're using the radio tower to mask their signal." Gia explained.

"Chances of this being the government just went down a little." Riley quipped.

"I don't care how they're doing it I just want to know where they're doing it." Kat huffed.

Riley heard a subtle snicker in the background.

"The farthest hangar is where the signal seems to be originating from," Gia answered.

"The tower is all the way over there. How did you miss this?" Casey teased.

"Casey I will beat you up if you don't leave me alone." Gia snapped.

"Bring it crippled." Casey joked.

"Alright, children behave." Kat requested before covering up her crystal. "Farthest hangar," Kat repeated.

"Excellent, we got a read on hostiles?" Riley inquired.

Kat scoffed and revealed the tip of her crystal again.

"Gia if you're not to busy killing Casey, get us eyes in the sky. We need to know if we got company either here or coming." Kat told her.

"Aye aye captain," Gia spoke.

"Extra muscle on standby." Casey quipped.

"Go away!" Gia demanded.

Kat rolled her hazel eyes at the crystal and they marched down to the hangars. The weather wasn't bad it was kind of nice compared to the nonstop rain since they landed in Seattle. It didn't take them long from the parking lot to see their target. The flat land really helped them in having a full view of their surroundings.

"What the?" Kat muttered, squinting at the hangars.

Riley also looked at the last hangar as they approached the three rows of hangars. Two people were sitting on the roof of the hangar.

"I'm now definitely sure it's not EG. They wouldn't be that careless." Kat scoffed.

They both ran all the way to the last hangar. Kat looked up at the roof.

"What in the name of Lorien are you doing up there Chase?" Kat called.

"Shush." A familiar voice hissed.

Out of the shadows of one of the bays came a woman with a brown ponytail and harsh blue eyes. She was holding a girl in her arms that couldn't be any older than six.

"Glad to see you folks, must be the message worked." Cecilia greeted.

She sauntered back into the bay and they followed her. Inside were eight more children between the ages of ten to twelve. The girl in her arms whimpered.

"Hey, it's okay sweetie, I got you," Cecilia whispered in her ear.

Kat gave her a questioning look.

Cecilia frowned. "She's a newbie that was retrieved while you guys were at the academy. She has nothing but she lost her older sister in the raid. Her older sister is a Human Garde." Cecilia answered.

The girl nestled into her.

"What possessed you to send a message? That's like giving EG a sign pointing directly at you for them." Riley inquired rudely.

"Because we were looking for help. They've been chasing us across the country the past few weeks."

A young woman replied working with some device on the floor by the door. Her hair was like cornsilk and her eyes as blue as the sky.

"I never knew Emma was technologically skilled," Kat smirked.

"It's pretty simple to hijack a radio signal. But I'm nowhere near as good as your sister Gia." Emma casually replied.

"Folks EG just pulled into the parking lot. They aren't screwing around. There's gotta be ten vehicles full of agents piling out of the main parking lot." Gia warned through the still activated crystal in Kat's hand.

Cecilia swore. Emma sprang into action and packed up her gear into a bag. Cecilia ran outside and they followed her.

"Chase! I need your feet on the ground! We got company!" Cecilia called. Kat motioned for Riley to follow her as they peeked out around the corner of the opposing hangar.

"They're surrounding the whole airfield." Gia cautioned.

"Well, they certainly want us don't they?" Kat quipped.

"Kat, no screwing around. Get outta there." Gia scolded.

A boy with blonde hair and brown eyes jumped off the roof and landed on all fours. A girl younger but with similar features leaped down after him.

"Cover me while I get us some cover," Kat instructed.

She started rotating her right hand in full circles. The sky started to darken. Kat's muscles tensed as the sky continued to darken, clouds covering the once blue sky. Chase placed both hands on the ground and seemed to be pulling something straight out of the ground.

"Come on." He muttered.

Emma and Cecilia had rounded up all their charges and gathered outside.

"He won't get it ready before they descend upon on us." The blonde girl next to Chase admitted.

Cecilia handed off the little girl to Emma.

"Then we make time," Cecilia spoke with determination.

She and Riley walked to cover Kat as she seemed to be brewing a storm in the sky. And yep a whole squadron of EG agents was coming there way. Kats storm only seemed to be intensifying. Lighting struck in the middle of the squadron hand took the majority of it down. But some agents continued forth.

Riley felt the air crackle with energy near Cecilia. Riley didn't know what she was going to use but she was going to defend her friends.

"Come and get it, boys!" Cecilia taunted, balls of energy forming in her hands.

Riley decided the woman must've been very familiar with these standoffs. Riley smiled and flickered out of existence. She picked up a rock from the dirt path and slipped into the ranks of agents. She didn't know how long she could hold out using two legacies at once but she wasn't back down. She nailed unsuspecting agents just like she'd nailed Casey earlier.

She and Cecilia tore into the agents with no mercy just as the agents had no mercy for them. They seemed eager to target Cecilia with their devices but she kept deflecting them telekinetically.

"I ain't the little girl you're familiar with." Cecilia teased.

They took out the first round of agents and Riley was wiped.

"How we doing?" Cecilia called back.

"It's difficult to get it to come up. I don't why I'm struggling so much." Chase answered.

"We just happened to pick an area where loralite must be hard to summon," Emma added.

"I need a few more minutes," Chase argued.

"I don't think they want to give us a few more minutes. They got reinforcements." Riley warned.

Cecilia cursed again and bone fragments seemed to spring from her arms. "You holding up rookie?" Cecilia questioned.

"Never been better." Riley panted.

She wasn't sure she could handle more agents. The last round was much more tiring than she'd imagined.

"Keep up that storm Katarina!" Cecilia encouraged.

"Don't call me that!" Kat shouted.

Another lighting strike descended upon the approaching troops.

"Atta girl!" Cecilia laughed.

Riley couldn't imagine laughing at this moment but maybe Cecilia was crazier than she'd originally assumed. Riley took a deep breath and threw herself back into the fray. But this group seemed harder, or maybe she was just running out of steam.

"I got it!" Chase called through the chaos. Riley turned to see a glowing blue rock sticking out of the ground.

Emma was having everyone hold hands.

"Go we'll hold them off!" Cecilia commanded.

Riley's went with her gut.

"Go! We'll hold them off!" Riley argued.

"Not a chance," Cecilia demanded.

Kat grabbed Cecilia and started pulling her towards the others.

"You're too important," Kat informed her.

"I'll see you in a bit then," Cecilia whispered in her ear.

Kat looked at Cecilia confused.

"Come on the next loralite crystal is in Lincoln Park, Seattle," Chase whispered.

"Go!" Riley commanded.

Kat frowned at Riley before joining hands with the rest. Just as they disappeared Riley accidentally faded back into existence. She was overcome by the officials before she could regain her concentration.

But she refused to go down without a fight. She punched, kicked, and hit them with anything her telekinesis could reach. Even once they cuffed her she still was kicking and punching. She didn't give up until they stabbed something into her and a wave of exhaustion took her away.

They all unceremoniously tumbled onto the grass one right after the other. Kat rolled out of the way and punched the ground.

"Where's Riley?" She demanded.

Cecilia righted herself and took attendance. She double checked it and then sighed. "I'm sorry Kat but Riley didn't make it back."

"She has too. This was just an innocent reconnaissance mission." Kat huffed.

"She can still make it to the stone, can't she? The loralite crystal is still there isn't it?" Kat inquired.

Chase frowned and shook his head.

"We didn't use a naturally occurring loralite stone, I had to summon one from under the earth. The minute we went through it'll sink back into the ground."

"No!" Kat exclaimed. "This isn't happening, it's not a part of the plan," Kat muttered.

"Kat," Cecilia started.

"If it wasn't for your stupidity in broadcasting that message she'd still be with us! Who knows what they're doing to her!" Kat yelled at Cecilia.

"Katarina Sarah Goode." Cecilia barked.

Kat froze on command.

"Riley did what had to be done. We all wouldn't have gotten out of there. EG was out for their prey, someone needs to make sure we'd all make through the crystal. Riley's father would've done the same exact thing. She put herself on the line to protect the rest of us. Now she has to rely on her father's connections to keep her safe." Cecilia lectured.

Kat frowned and sat up.

"Well then feel free to repeat that lecture to Casey. He's quite smitten with her. He's gonna be livid that she was lost again." Kat informed her.

"How'd you know there was a crystal here?" Kat questioned.

"Eden and I grew up in Seattle. I remembered it being here." Chase shrugged.

"So where you folks at?" Eden inquired.

"Abandoned warehouse on Ohio Ave south," Kat answered.

"Well, then ladies and gentlemen let's get walking. We got some ground to cover before we get even close to the industrial district." Chase announced.

Riley came too eventually, she lazily opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. She was in a simple cot with metal side railings. Both of her hands were cuffed to the railing with scramblers. So we're her feet. Riley tried to use any of her legacies but all in vain, her head felt like something was trying to get out.

"Crap." She groaned, squeezing her eyes closed.

Hopefully, they ship her to academy. That's the only good outcome is putting her in the academy. That way she could at least help from the inside.

"Hello!" Riley called to the empty room. The room was horribly bland with all the white. She wasn't in a hospital, she was in a processing center. The question is was that a good thing or not? She was gonna have to play it by ear.

"I know there's gotta be someone out there!" Riley called.

"Calm down. You're not in trouble yet." An older woman scolded walking in.

"Sue me if I had to go the bathroom when you finally decide to rejoin the living." She huffed. The woman had graying blonde hair and tired dark eyes. She wobbled over to an intercom on the walk and pushed a button. "She's awake."

A few minutes later a man Riley could guess was a commander came in with four other agents. She tried searching her brain for this guys name. She was captured in Washington so who was the Commander in charge of Washington? She was drawing a blank on anything about the people in this state. He was normal size but held himself with authority. He looked like the hundreds of other officials she'd seen.

"Unless you'd like me to address you as LANE I'd recommend you tell us your name." The oldest looking man spoke coldly.

"I didn't know LANE was still in use," Riley commented.

"Don't be wise." The man scowled. Riley sat up in her bed. She rested her hands on the rails for they couldn't go much farther.

"If you tell me your name I'll tell you mine." Riley offered.

"Commander William Kennedy of Washington state. You?" He questioned.

"Riley Lexa Worthington of nowhere," Riley answered.

"Now that we have introduced each other I would like to ask you some questions. Answer them truthfully and honestly and we may be able to work out a deal between us." He calmly explained.

"Excuse me? What have I been charged with?" Riley inquired, trying to not sound irritated. She knew exactly what charges could be put on her but better let him tell her what they were.

"Aiding and abetting the refugees that have evaded the system. Rather vehemently attacking unsuspecting Earth Garde troops. And you are a known accomplice of the leader's of the refugee camp." One of his lackeys read off a tablet.

"You think I work with the leaders of the Human Garde refugee camp? Pfft. Who told you that?" Riley chuckled.

"Well, it isn't a secret you and Casey Raya grew up together until he ran away." Commander William answered.

"So what? Doesn't mean I have any contact with him since then." Riley argued.

"Surveillance cameras from your school show two wanted refugees in your school right before the power was cut. Casey Raya and Gia Goode." The same lackey reported.

Riley actually couldn't find a way to talk herself out of that bit of evidence.

"Moving on to the next line of questioning. You relentlessly attacked unsuspecting ground troops. What do you have to say for yourself?" He questioned.

"That those soldiers were far from unsuspecting. Just because they didn't see me doesn't mean they weren't ready for a fight. I didn't relentlessly attack them either. I attacked them in self-defense." Riley reasoned.

"Okay so now onto the part of you tell me what I need to know and I make sure you keep you legacies with a one-way ticket to the Academy." Commander William's face was like stone.

"Umm, sir. She's professor Nine's only daughter. He's very protective of her." Another lackey interrupted.

"Then he should've kept better track of her shouldn't he?" William scowled.

"Now you were spotted at the Olympia Regional Airport with a wanted group of LANEs. We know you weren't part of the group we've been tracking for the past two weeks. So you were there with an accomplice probably responding to their pathetic SOS." He coldly explained to her.

"Was there a question in there sir?" Riley inquired.

"Name all the targets there and where were they escaping too? We know they used one of those loralite crystals to escape but before any of my men could follow them the thing sank back into the ground." He scowled.

"I ain't no snitch." Riley sneered. "Besides I don't know where on earth her majesty was taking everyone. Those crystals are everywhere." Riley casually shrugged.

"Sylinda? Will you do the honors?" William questioned, still completely emotionless.

"Sir? Are you really going to do it to her?" The same lackey protested.

"She's another one of those loose cannons. Since her father doesn't seem to be able to keep her on a tight lease we'll be doing him a favor." He reasoned with no emotion whatsoever.

The woman left the room quickly, probably getting supplies for what Riley had seen and heard all about. The cure for legacies.

"You can still come clean and this all stops." William reminded.

Riley wasn't a snitch and she didn't care what they did to her. Just like her father and the other Garde, she would sacrifice herself to save others. Her father never cracked when the mogs held him captive and she wouldn't crack for these people. But that didn't stop her heart from trying to break out of her chest when Sylinda walked back in with a small tray. Riley's stomach had taken residence in her chest and moved her heart up into her throat. She felt sick which was one of the main side effects of the cure. Flu-like symptoms for a week after injection. She'd been reading Malcolm's reports to Gia about it.

"Roll up her left sleeve please." Sylinda politely requested. William walked over and rolled up Riley's left sleeve.

That's when she decided she wasn't going to snitch but she wasn't going down without a fight. She yanked hard against her restraints, legacies miserably failing due to the scramblers.

"Hold her steady," Sylinda commanded, readying what looked so much like a simple vaccine. Three guards came at her restraining her by pushing her against the bed. Sylinda wiped her arm with a simple alcohol wipe. Maybe if Riley got sick on the nurse that'd contaminate the needle which would make it useless. Riley tried struggling against her restraints again but the men held her firm. Riley's heart was either going to burst from her chest or she was going to lose her entire stomach in the next minute. She tried not to hyperventilate but her lungs weren't listening to her. While she was focusing on slowing down her breathing the woman jabbed her in the shoulder. Riley bit down on her lip to prevent from making a sound. She wanted to cry out in rage or sorrow about the injustice she was suffering. But the tiny logical part of her mind reminded her that she'd saved all those children and her friends. That made it all worth it. Then it was all gone.

Sylinda taped a small piece of gauze to her arm and left. The guards released her immediately.

"Put in a call to Malcolm Goode. Tell him he needs to get someone to collect his bosses daughter." William commanded before turning on heel and stalking out.

Riley tried to fight some more but all her energy was suddenly gone. But she refused to let herself fall asleep. She was going to protest however she could. Regardless of what this cure did to her.


	11. Chapter 11

Part 3

"Lexa where is Malcolm with my reports? I have to go to my five o'clock training session with the senior group of students soon." Nine inquired wearily.

Lexa tapped away on her tablet. Nine didn't know it but she was tracking Malcolm's phone. His phone was on the landing field so at least he and Taylor were back from their trip to retrieve something, more like someone. "What reports is he bringing me anyway?" Nine questioned.

"He is bringing you the reports on the rate of legacy development in first and second-year students," Lexa answered.

"He can't just email those to me?" Nine impatiently questioned.

"Malcolm said he had something very important to show you about the results. He was greatly concerned about something." Lexa added. She inwardly groaned. He wasn't going to last much longer before she had to admit the truth to him. Malcolm had left three and half hours ago and well Nine can only be screwed with for so long.

She saw his phone starting to move towards the academy grounds and let out a small sigh of relief.

"He's on his way, sir. Give him ten more minutes." Lexa told him.

He sighed and flopped on the couch.

At 1:10 p.m. Malcolm had gotten a call from a processing center in Tacoma Washington. He was to either come himself or send someone to collect Riley Lexa Worthington. Five minutes later Malcolm was asking her to cover for him. Five minutes after that he and Taylor Cook were airborne heading north to collect Riley. Malcolm had told her the whole situation over a secure phone line at three before heading back this way. Nine was gonna be beyond livid after he heard what had happened up in Washington. She didn't know if there was a word to describe how majorly ticked off he was going to be. But this wasn't going to be pretty no matter what they did.

She almost felt sorry for whatever commander issued the cure to Riley. He would die a slow painful death if Nine wasn't the head of the academy. Malcolm's phone was now on the green. He was probably five minutes out hopefully.

"Have you heard anything from the others?" He questioned.

Lexa was so startled she almost dropped her tablet.

"No Nine. No word from Cecilia, Casey, Riley, or Gia." Lexa answered, trying not to reveal how nervous that question made her.

"Why would Riley contact you?" He questioned.

Lexa bit her lip and saw Malcolm had made it into the main office building.

"Thank the elders." She mumbled.

"What?" Nine questioned. He raised an eyebrow like he was getting suspicious.

"Malcolm is here." Lexa sighed.

She took her usual seat on the couch and stared at the door expectantly. Nine looked at her with a questioning yet concerned look. Then it was opened and in came Taylor followed by Malcolm carrying a lanky teenage girl in a backward piggyback fashion. He held her like she was still a small child. Her mane of black inky hair was limp and pasted to her sweaty body. Her body was whiter than the reports Malcolm was supposed to be bringing. They couldn't see her face but Lexa heard the ragged breathing. "Taylor. I think she gonna." He never finished his statement for the girl vomited down his back.

"I'm so sorry Malcolm." Taylor apologized.

"It's okay Taylor. It's not the first time a child has thrown up on me." Malcolm reassured.

Nine just stared in disbelief, all the color draining out of his face. Then he took a deep breath and all that blood came rushing back to his face.

"What in the name of Lorien happened!" He demanded.

He rushed forward and retrieved his daughter from Malcolm's arms.

"Riley was captured during a raid on Olympia Regional Airport. All other targets escaped but she didn't. Because she refused to give up the others they did it." Malcolm slowly explained, avoid Nine's gaze.

"Please continue Malcolm, what is it?" Nine drawled.

"At 1:05 p.m. today Riley was cured." Malcolm closed his eyes, bracing for Nine to explode.

But he didn't yell, he didn't tear apart the room, he just readjusted Riley and grabbed his phone off his desk.

"Lexa, Malcolm, my cabin after dinner. Taylor brings the coffee." He instructed.

"But your class?" Lexa inquired.

"Malcolm I believe you can operate the obstacle course right?" Nine questioned, but his tone implied it wasn't a question.

"Yes, I can operate the obstacle course for your class," Malcolm answered.

"Need help cleaning her up?" Taylor offered.

"I think I can handle my daughter by myself." Nine impatiently answered. With that, he left them alone in his office. Malcolm stripped his shirt off and balled it up.

"I believe once he's taken care of his daughter he'll allow himself to explode." Malcolm simply answered.

"Absolutely." Lexa agreed.

"Is she going to be okay?" Taylor cautiously questioned.

Malcolm took a deep breath and sighed. "Time will tell Taylor. Time will tell."

Nine had cleaned his daughter and redressed her in fresh clothes she'd left there the previous summer. She was coherent enough to sit up on her bed as he combed her wet hair and braided it for her. But afterward, she flopped onto her back and let out a small whimper.

"Are you going to be sick again Ri?" He softly questioned. She shook her head and curled up on top of her sheets. He walked out and to the kitchen to get her a glass of water. He returned and she sat up long enough to drink it before sinking back on top of her blankets.

He crawled onto her bed and pulled her up towards him and the pillows. She softly moaned in pain again and curled up tighter. He frowned at her. How could he help her? He remembered when she was little and he would sing to her for bedtime once a week instead of a story of the olden days.

"And she said what's the problem baby, what's the problem I don't know, well maybe I'm in love, think about it every time, I think about it, can't stop thinking about it. He softly sang, horribly off key. Riley seemed to relax a little. He continued to sing the song accidentally in love to her. By the end of the song, she wasn't so curled up anymore. But he still hadn't gotten his smile yet.

"Like a small boat, on the ocean, sending big waves into motion, like how a single word can make a heart open, I might only have one match, but I can make an explosion." He started. He went through the whole fight song but no change.

This must be serious, time to pull out the big guns.

"I get no kick from champagne, mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all,"

she let out a small giggle before he could finish the first verse. Nonetheless, he pressed on, glad to see her smile.

"So tell me why it should be true, that I get a kick out of you. Some get a kick from cocaine, I'm sure that if I took it, I took even one sniff, it would bore me terrifically, too, yet I get a kick out of you." Riley was just giggling away with a grin on her face. He sang the last two verses and she was in a fit of giggles by the end.

"I knew that'd work. It's always the classics." He teased.

She smiled and snuggled into his side. She frowned and looked up at him with her big blue eyes.

"I'm sorry dad." She mumbled before resting her head against his chest.

"There is no reason for apologizing. You must need another song." Nine smiled.

Riley grinned and nestled into him like she would when she was little.

"I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero til the end of the night, he's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be fresh from the fight, I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero til the morning light, he's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon, and he's gotta be larger than life! I need a hero, I'm holding out for a hero til the end of night," he sang regardless of how bad he was at it.

It always brought a smile to his daughters face. She let out a yawn and relaxed against him. But he saw her force her eyes open again.

"It's okay Ri, go to sleep. Your safe here with me. You deserve to rest." He reassured her.

She seemed ready to protest but her body was too spent to do anything but rest against him.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray, you'll never know dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away." Nine softly sung to her.

He just sat there as Riley fell asleep. He sighed and rested his head against the wall. What a complete disaster this all was. He already knew it was all downhill from here.

They'd arrived at his place around eight-thirty that night. Taylor started making the coffee in the kitchen.

"So what's the tiny sliver of good news?" Lexa asked Malcolm.

Malcolm was setting up on the kitchen island.

"Huh?" He questioned looking up. He pushed his glasses up so he could focus on her.

"You told us while you were doing the reports you were supposed to be doing this afternoon you discovered something that might help Riley." Lexa reminded.

"Oh, that," Malcolm replied. What concerned her was the deer in the headlights look he still had on his face.

"So what about legacy development in first and second-year students will help her? The cure is supposed to strip her of her legacies." Taylor questioned, completely lost.

"Exactly. It gets rid of her current legacies." Malcolm smirked.

"Alright, Bill Nye you've lost us," Lexa admitted casually.

"Look at this chart, early bloomers develop few legacies and over a longer period of time. Those right on schedule develop about four to five legacies over a year or so. But then the late bloomers develop as many as seven legacies within a year usually in rapid succession." Malcolm explained. "Then look at Riley, she's a late bloomer. She started the Wednesday after Labor Day last year. Telekinesis was first. Then she developed anima in the middle of November. The first week of December she got telepathy. Then the last Thursday of April she developed invisibility. Then only a few days later she showed signs of externa while at the refugee camp." Malcolm pointed to his chart.

"And your point?" Lexa inquired.

"Emotions play a vital part in developing legacies. Stress or anxiety can kind of force them to the surface. Telekinesis developed on her first day of eleventh grade. She was probably anxious." He circled that one with his finger. "Anima came in the week before she left with her class for D.C. also probably nervous or anxious." He circled that one next.

"Tournament week is the first week in December at her school. From what I understand it's the biggest event of the school year. Stress probably caused telepathy to surface." He circled it as well.

"Then the day she was captured her father knows she was nervous about being caught. Cue the invisibility. Then the day she's told she's part of a mission to rescue one of her best friends, externa rears its head. That's only five legacies. She's at least got one more in her that just hasn't manifested yet." Malcolm continued.

"But the cure will get rid of it won't it?" Taylor inquired.

"Her body's natural reaction is to fight back. All her legacies are fighting this thing. But that's her manifested ones. Not the ones she hasn't developed yet. So there might be hope." Malcolm spoke full of hope.

"Just don't tell Nine." Lexa frowned.

"Why? This is great news." Malcolm argued.

"You don't want to give him false hope. If it doesn't work." Taylor answered.

Malcolm sighed. "The probability of it working." Malcolm pressed.

"I don't care about that. Just promise me you won't tell him." Lexa argued. "Understood Lexa." Malcolm nodded.

"Alright, who wants to bet Nine is out cold with his daughter?" Taylor quipped.

"That's not even a question." Malcolm laughed.

"Let the man sleep, he deserves it. I'm pretty sure we can function without him." Lexa chuckled.

Malcolm smiled and set to his work. These overnight work sessions were private and frequent lately. The work they did here no one outside their group knew about and was most definitely not approved by the board or Earth Garde.

Nine came to only to realize someone was gently shaking his shoulder. "Nine?" Malcolm whispered.

Nine looked at Malcolm confused for a moment before he remembered. They were having a meeting tonight. Slowly Nine untangled himself from Riley and followed Malcolm out.

"Okay, ladies and gentleman I want the name, rank, and neck of the person responsible." Nine scowled.

Lexa already having done this while he was out, pulled it up on her laptop. "Commander William Clark Kennedy. Commander of Washington state. Any and all captives are handled by him personally. In the past three weeks, he's captured six different Human Garde. He likes to interrogate his captives and if they give him what he wants he sends them our way. If they resist, like your daughter, he gives them the cure." Lexa explained like she was trying to suck up to the teacher.

Taylor subtly chuckled at her attempt.

"Neck we can work on in the morning." Lexa finished before he could ask. Nine sat down on the island still stewing. Taylor placed a warm cup of tea in front of him before retreating. Nine rested his elbows on the island and buried his face in his hands. He ran them through his hair and looked up with a sigh.

"What do we know about the cure? I want to hear every detail possible that can help us with Riley currently."

"The cure makes someone severely ill, flu-like symptoms are stage one. Stage two is when the legacies will go haywire, then the final stage will be the most critical." Malcolm answered.

Nine went to open his mouth but Lexa cut him off.

"The last stage her fever could spike dangerously high, she will lose all legacies, severe dehydration, seizure, stroke, organ failure, and potential death." Lexa finished, solemnly.

"Well isn't that just peachy." Nine huffed.

"And all three stages will eventually all happen at the same time over the next week." Taylor finished.

"Nine." Lexa sighed.

"Lexa, Malcolm, do what you do best and try to find anything out about reversing this cure." Nine instructed.

"First we'd have to figure out how this cure works exactly. I only have theories I've shared with Lexa and emailed to Gia."

Lexa smacked him upside the head.

"That's why we hack into Earth Garde and find out how they made it."

"Haven't we tried to do that before?" Malcolm inquired.

"Shut up and let me work my magic. We will get in this time." Lexa huffed. Malcolm nodded.

"While I'm hacking you theorize about what we already know about it," Lexa replied.

Nine cracked a small grin at them. They were an interesting pair to work with.

"Taylor, can you go examine Riley for me? Make sure she's doing as fine as she can be?" Nine questioned.

"Of course. Thermometer in the bathroom?" Taylor inquired.

"As always." Nine nodded.

"After I'm done with her I am making you eat something. You gotta keep your strength up Nine." Taylor knowingly grinned.

She walked down the hall to do her task. Nine smiled at the thought that Taylor is only a few years younger than him and yet she carried herself with the authority of a superior, more like a caring mother. Nine nursed his tea and watched Lexa and Malcolm go to work.

The hacker and the scientist, the alien and the human working side by side in harmony, even if it doesn't seem it. Why couldn't everyone be that way?


	12. Chapter 12

Part 4

Riley had entered stage two around midnight, telekinesis flared up momentarily before she went still. Only for them to experience a psych scream so painful it caused them all to double over in pain from it. It was so intense and painful as if her legacies were crying out in agony. Like a vital piece of her was being ripped away. As if the only connection to her heritage was being severed.

The invisibility at three was quite possibly the least worrisome. Then the externa at four was interesting, to say the least. Then at five, she threw up more bile, Nine cleaned up all affected parties.

Shortly afterward her steady fever of one hundred spiked to one hundred and three.

By six Taylor had Riley hooked up to an IV to keep her hydrated. Nine got her to wake up long enough to eat a bite of toast and take some Tylenol before she fell back into her uneasy slumber. Her fever crested at seven with a whopping one hundred and four degrees Fahrenheit.

They decided to take turns replacing the cold cloth on her. It was finally at eight o'clock her fever went down two degrees and they all finally crashed for good.

Nine was sleeping on the floor in Riley's room, Lexa had promptly face planted on a couch, Malcolm flopped onto the second one and Taylor curled up in an armchair.

Sadly there was incessant pounding on Nine's door around ten o'clock. Malcolm and Lexa bolted upright at the sound.

"Who?" They both started before acknowledging the same panicked look on each other's faces.

Taylor groaned and opened her eyes.

"One of you gonna get that?" Taylor questioned.

"Rise and shine Taylor and help me clean up the debris from last night." Malcolm requested.

"Why do I have to open the door?" Lexa questioned.

Taylor giggled. "I'll go wake boss man."

Malcolm scrambled to the island and started hiding their work in the cabinets of the island.

"Because if you open the door it'll fit right in with the rumors about you and Nine." Malcolm quietly answered.

"Mention that again I'll end you." Lexa threatened. She straightened her clothes and ran a hand through her hair before getting the door.

It was Susan on the other side. She raised an eyebrow at Lexa's disheveled appearance.

"Yes, Susan?" Lexa questioned.

"Did Nine forget that he has a board meeting this morning? We're all waiting for him outside his office." Susan questioned.

"We'll be there in a few minutes Susan," Lexa answered, trying to sound more cheery than she was.

She shut the door just as Nine was emerging from Riley's room. He swore. "Saturday morning board meeting ten o'clock." He groaned.

"I got the coffee." Taylor offered.

Nine sighed and walked down the hall to his room.

"I call dibs on the bathroom!" Lexa exclaimed, before grabbing a bag by the couch and racing Malcolm to the bathroom. She beat him there and he pounded on the door in protest.

"Come on Lexa!" Malcolm demanded.

Taylor rolled her eyes at the pair of them. Both were in their fifties and sixties and yet they could act like teenagers. Nine came out of his room pulling on a shirt as Malcolm went past him into the room he'd just exited. "Taylor? Can you stay with Riley please?" He questioned.

"Of course I will Nine. What's your schedule for the day?" Taylor inquired.

"Board meeting, home, training sessions all afternoon, dinner, training sessions, home for another fun-filled night of vomit and legacy flare-ups." Nine groggily listed.

Taylor sighed and handed him a travel mug full of caffeinated coffee.

"Don't punch any of the board members. Remember beating them up will not help." Taylor smiled.

"But it'll make me feel better." Nine quipped.

Taylor laughed. Even sleep deprived his sarcasm was still sharp as ever. Lexa came out of the bathroom brushing her hair.

"Come on Malcolm we don't got all day!" Lexa called.

Malcolm came out pulling his pants up.

"Maybe if you hadn't claimed the bathroom." Malcolm started.

"Come on children. Finish putting yourselves together and let's go." Nine chuckled.

Lexa tied her hair back and grabbed her tablet.

"Malcolm your fly's down." She smirked.

He glared at her and finished dressing. Nine just smiled and shook his head. It was going to be a long day.

Once they arrived at his office they all took their normal places.

"So what's the first order of business?" Nine inquired. He took another sip of his coffee to help wake him up.

"Rough night professor?" Linda questioned.

"Rough is an understatement." Nine grumbled into his coffee. The young man from Earth Garde cleared his throat.

"My superiors would like to make sure we're all on the same page. They sent over a script for the press conference tomorrow afternoon." He spoke calmly. He handed Nine a folder.

"What press conference?" Nine huffed.

"They want to make sure your on the same page as them before we get in front of the cameras tomorrow. You're going to have to make a statement to the press about giving your daughter the cure." Nine tensed and dropped the folder on the floor. Lexa and Malcolm already knew that there was a high chance the guy wasn't leaving this room alive. Nine strained not to choke the little puke.

"Excuse me?" He spat.

"My superiors want you to tell the press why you gave the cure to your daughter and how much better her life will be now." The scrawny man answered coldly.

"You want me to go in front of a bunch of cameras and sing the praises of the very reason my daughter is bedridden currently? The same reason I was up every hour on the hour last night because she was either sick again, checking her fever, getting her more water, giving her meds for the fever, replacing the cold cloths on her forehead, or her legacies trying to destroy the house? You really want to test me right now?" Nine hissed at the man.

"Sir, we need to keep a positive image around the cure. We need the public to believe in the good it can do." He placated.

"Tell your advisors to bite me. Next?" Nine snapped.

"My daughter still remains at large," Arnold replied, his voice carrying a sharp edge.

"Good for her, on the run is better than here with you." Nine drawled, his disdain made obviously. Father of the year didn't deserve to have a daughter after all the crap he'd done to her.

"Nine are you sure you don't need to talk about something?" Linda cautiously questioned.

"Linda, I most definitely don't need my head examined right now. I need sleep and a healthy daughter." Nine argued.

Susan just kept quiet and looked at him with pity.

"Susan I don't need your pity or condolences. I need the neck of commander William Clark Kennedy." He glared.

"He followed protocol much like you should."'Arnold corrected.

"Can it Arnie." Nine hissed through clenched teeth.

"Okay how about we dismiss for now. Meet again next week?" Linda offered.

"Of course." Lexa nodded.

Nine huffed and stormed out of the room. The other board members filed out after him. Malcolm yawned while Lexa sighed and buried her face in her hands. "This is going to be one long week isn't it?"

"Oh, it's going to last forever." Malcolm groaned.

Gia skimmed down through an email just sent to her from her grandfather.

"Guys! She's okay!" She called. Everyone stopped what they were doing and crowded around her.

"Riley arrived at the academy yesterday, after being interrogated they gave her the cure." Gia read. "Riley is hanging in there but the prospects aren't good."

Casey cursed. "I knew I shouldn't have let her out. She wasn't ready."

"It's not your fault Casey it was mine. If Emma and I hadn't sent that message then you guys wouldn't have come to our aid. Then Riley wouldn't have sacrificed herself so we could escape." Cecilia sighed.

"It was a noble sacrifice. Riley knows you guys are more important than she is. But I think she was banking on EG fearing her father more." Kat suggested.

"Glad to know it doesn't matter who you are they still treat you like a common criminal." Gia retorted.

"Gia Malarie!" Kat scolded.

"What? It's the truth! The girl was a waste of legacies anyway." Gia scoffed.

Kat threw her arms up in exasperation and walked away. Adelina got up and went after her.

"So what can we do about it?" Casey questioned.

"Leave her in the academy. She's safer with her father at arm's length." Cecilia answered.

"Really? We're not breaking her out?" Sidney demanded.

"Ceci has a point, Sidney. Riley is safest at the academy currently. Her father will definitely keep a close eye on his daughter." Casey admitted. "You can count on him to do that." Cecilia agreed.

"Right now we need to worry about keeping ourselves outta danger," Gia replied callously.

She shooed them all away and went back to searching the internet for news. It seemed every day had some form of breaking news anymore. What would today's be? she silently mused. All the headlines that popped up shared one similarity and floored her. "Professor Nine cured his daughter" "Head of the Human Garde Academy demonstrates the good of the cure" "Nine stunned the world by curing his daughter" Gia clicked on a headline and leaned forward to read.

"Listen to this guys!" Gia called.

The room fell silent after that.

"Yesterday at one in the afternoon a groundbreaking event occurred in an EG facility. Riley Lexa Worthington was finally apprehended and at her father's decree was cured by EG agents. It shocked the world to find out that Professor Nine cured his one and only daughter of her legacies. Does this really mean that the cure is a good thing for the growing population of Human Garde? If the head of the Human Garde academy was willing to use it on his daughter then it must be safe for everyone. Professor Nine will be making a public statement about this event tomorrow afternoon at three. If you or someone you know is a Human Garde remember to always report it to Earth Garde for their well being." Gia read.

She heard many scoffs and noises of disapproval.

"That is a load of crap and we all know this. Nine would never in a thousand years even contemplate taking anyway someone's legacies. Especially his own daughter." Cecilia scoffed.

"Why would they lie about it then?" Adelina softly asked.

"It's all about appearances. They need the world to believe and trust the cure in order for it to work. Who better to instill the much-needed faith than Nine?" Sidney answered.

"Nine's gotta be absolutely murderous about all of this," Kat added.

"I certainly am. What happened to the land of the free and home of the brave crap we learn in school? This is cruel and unusual punishment. That's a right given to every American citizen in the constitution. The right to no cruel and unusual punishment." Casey demanded. All his muscles were strained as he threw his hands up in aggravation.

"Thank you for that unnecessary history lesson." Gia drawled.

"Why don't you just knock off the attitude for five seconds?" Casey snapped, glaring at her.

"Well, I'm sorry I don't imagine a perfect world where everyone loves everyone and everything is fair and just. It's never going to happen. The sooner you accept that this is the world we live in you can move on with your life." Gia seethed.

"Why don't you have a little faith that maybe the system can be fixed?" Casey hissed.

"What's the point? What's the point in fixing something that can never truly repair all the damage it's done!" Gia exclaimed, eyes glistening.

"Some things just can't be fixed. They're permanently broken." She muttered.

She turned back to her computers and sighed.

"Casey, Earth Garde is an awful organization and we just have to live with it for now. Rome wasn't built in a day and they certainly won't go away overnight." Cecilia reasoned.

Casey sighed and slumped in his seat.

"Until we hear word from our allies in the academy we need to focus on our safety. We need to work on finding a way to unite the camp again. Scattered to the breezes we have no chance against them. We need to find a way to unite camp again. Not like we were but we need to regroup so we might stand a chance against Earth Garde." Cecilia suggested.

"How do a bunch of untrained teenagers with legacies stand a chance against scramblers and this cure? We're vastly outnumbered and outgunned." Kat argued.

"We will always be outnumbered. That's just a given fact but we are not outgunned. If anything Earth Garde and all their technology and medicine are outgunned. Now some ideas?" Cecilia inquired.

"We obviously can't use any human means of communication. EG is watching them like a hawk." Emma replied dejectedly.

"Human means," Adelina mumbled. "Henri, our gift from our father." She blurted.

"Which one?" Henri teased.

Adelina rolled her blue eyes at him went to get her bag. She dug in her bag and pulled out a leather cord with a blue stone on it.

"This one." She reminded him holding it up.

"Our mother and father have those," Kat remarked.

"Yes, all the remaining original Garde and a few allies got one of those years ago. Our father gave us these when we left for the refugee camp. If we held the loralite and imagine the central meeting chamber we'd be able to go home." Adelina explained.

"So you've had a way to go home for the past three years and you never said a word about it?" Kat raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"They were told to not say a word about it. All people who get them from John are under strict orders to not say a word about it. Think of it a trap door a select group of people have." Cecilia casually explained.

"And you know this how?" Casey impatiently inquired.

"When we left the mountains years ago John made sure he made a way so that we'd be able to get outta trouble at a moment's notice," Cecilia answered.

"Probably because my sister has a knack for getting into trouble with EG." Emma quipped.

Casey and Kat stifled a laugh.

"So since we can't really use the academy for help we could go to the mountains and ask for help," Adelina suggested.

"Adelina and Henri will go to mountains to seek assistance from our parents while we sit here and train." Kat decided.

"Is it just a one person thing?" Cecilia asked.

"Why?" Henri questioned cautiously.

"Take some of the younger ones to there. It'd be much safer." Emma suggested.

"You could take Sidney as well," Casey added.

"No way. You guys aren't shipping me to Timbuktu while my best friend is in the clutches of EG." Sidney firmly replied.

"Let her stay. Riley is her friend too." Kat argued.

"Well, then I think I could take two." Adelina shrugged. She took her necklace and weaved it between her fingers until the loralite laid in the center of her palm. Emma handed her the small girl in her arms.

"You'll be safe with them April." She reassured. Adelina held the girl in one arm.

"Can you take a second piggyback style?" Cecilia questioned.

"Yeah."

A girl about ten was hoisted up onto her back. Adelina stumbled but maintained her stance.

"I can take a third if I understand how this works properly." She held out the hand with the pendant in it.

"Rachel take her hand," Cecilia suggested. A girl about twelve with dove brown hair and dark eyes grabbed Adelina's free hand. Henri had the same amount except three boys. One on each hand and one on the back. Ten, eleven and thirteen maybe?

"Don't forget a crystal." Kat reminded, stuffing something in Adelina's right pocket.

"See ya at home Hen," Adelina smiled.

"Not I if I get there first." Henri grinned.

"You're on." Adelina dared.

"Last one there is an evil Mogadorian." Henri laughed.

Adelina closed her eyes and imagined home. The big stone cavern and the big lanterns lit every night by her father. The giant loralite stone in the center and the huge wooden table on top of it. The warmth of the hearth they sat around each night for dinner and to listen to their father's stories of the war. The laughter and endless chatter of her siblings. The soothing presence of her mother wherever she went. The Spanish lullabies her mother sang every night. Her chest tightened with sorrow. How she missed how simple life was with her family. But then she heard it, the crackle of the lanterns, the echoes of children, the faint static from the radio, the voices of her parents. Was she imaging them? She felt a cool breeze blow across her, carrying the smell of the mountains with it. She slowly opened her eyes to make sure she was dreaming. Surrounding her were high stone walls of the meeting chamber. The breeze was coming from the open doorway leading outside. She did a full inventory of her surroundings to make sure she wasn't crazy. The giant meeting table was where it had always been with all its chairs haphazardly scattered. It looked like someone had been practicing telekinesis in here recently. The distant sounds echoed in from another doorway behind her. Adelina still couldn't exactly believe it. She was back home in the mountains where she grew up. She smiled when her brother appeared and wore the same look in awe. They were finally home.


	13. Chapter 13

Part 5

Malcolm hurried up to catch up with Lexa and Nine's long strides. They were speaking in hushed yet harsh tones to each other.

"This is bull crap." Nine muttered.

"I had nothing to do with this. I was just told to make sure you had it before the conference which may I remind you were going to be late for." Lexa pointed out.

"What's the major malfunction I missed?" Malcolm inquired. He'd just come from the lecture hall where he'd held his two o'clock lecture.

"I'm being scripted." Nine huffed.

"Probably because they don't have any faith in you saying the right thing. You made it clear in the meeting earlier that you are against the use of the cure. I think you requested the neck of whoever did it." Lexa exasperatedly explained.

Nine grumbled and pressed forward.

"Let's just smile for the cameras and strangle officials later? None of us like this but we can't risk our jobs." Lexa replied.

"Fine." Nine hissed.

"Taylor is with Riley as long as we need her to be." Lexa finished.

"Am I presentable to the public?" Nine sighed.

"As always." Lexa smiled.

"Excellent. Let's get this done and over with." Nine drawled.

Malcolm clapped him on the back and Lexa gave him a thumbs up.

"I hate politics." Nine grumbled as he headed towards the press and makeshift stage. But he plastered a huge smile on his face and threw the script away. He wasn't going to be scripted.

Adelina had the crystal flat on her palm so everyone could hear it. Her father had taken her and her twin brother back to the meeting chamber to talk. But back in another section of the mountain, her mother was humming a tune to herself while she cooked dinner. Sam sitting in an armchair reading something on his laptop. Ella had derailed all the children by saying she'd tell them the story about how she became one with Lorien for a time. It worked for all ages.

But Adelina wondered where Sarah and Autumn were because she hadn't seen them yet. Could that be why Six was outside? Or why the meeting chamber looked like someone had been haphazardly practicing telekinesis?

"So what's the issue, Cecilia?" John inquired.

"We need help reuniting camp, we can't all become one large group again. We need a way to communicate and unite without Earth Garde finding out. We need to be able to fight back before they wipe us out." Cecilia explained.

"We're certainly outnumbered but we can outgun them if we can get everyone trained and on the same page," Kat added.

John rubbed his chin. "The problem is we had the government on our side when we defeated the Mogadorians. Whereas now your fighting the same government." John mused.

"The red crystals can't be reproduced and they won't work in other hands. Ask Casey he's tried, the red crystal won't activate for him." Kat pointed out.

"And you don't know if every group has a telepath or if they can teleport or summon loralite crystals," John replied.

"And besides even if we use the loralite stones for teleporting, EG has almost all of them under lock and key. What if someone accidentally pops up there?" Kat argued.

"Down girl." Cecilia teased.

"It's fine Kat is just like her mother." John laughed.

"Wait what about using these?" Adelina suggested, taking off her necklace. "The loralite works for Sam right?"

"Yeah Sam used his to get him and his son here, Six brought her daughter here the same way," John answered.

"So then these work regardless of alien DNA." Adelina finished.

"She's got a point." Henri agreed.

"But none of the refugees have ever been here. Don't they have to imagine it to appear here?" Cecilia argued.

"Not necessarily," John mumbled.

"Come again?" Cecilia argued.

"In this cave is the oldest loralite stone we know of. It was here long before us and long before Lorien came to live on earth. Maybe we could use it as a homing beacon?" John suggested.

"Like it draws its user to the cave? That still brings up the issue of how are they gonna cross the Atlantic?" Cecilia argued.

"It could transport them just like ours do." Adelina optimistically replied. John frowned and toyed with his pendant.

"It could work but then we're back to how would they be able to imagine the cave?" John groaned.

"How about we come to a compromise, folks? What if they act like a homing beacon and transport the user to here because they're attracted to the original stone?" Henri inquired.

"John?" Cecilia inquired.

"I'll work on it. Nice talking to you again Ceci." John replied.

Adelina dropped the crystal onto the table.

"So who's been practicing telekinesis in here?" Adelina inquired.

"Sarah and Autumn," John answered.

"Awesome! How long?" Adelina questioned, about ready to burst from joy.

"A week. They both developed the same day." John smiled.

Adelina burst from her chair and threw herself at her father. She buried her head into his shoulder and squeezed him tight.

"This is wonderful news. I knew she had it in her." Adelina mumbled.

"Shouldn't you let your brother have a turn at hugging me?" John teased.

"Only if he can detach me." Adelina grinned. Laughter echoed off the walls of the cavern and warmed the whole mountain with love.

It was a long and exhausting week but finally Saturday night her fever broke. It started going slowly and gradually, finally settling at ninety-seven point nine degrees Fahrenheit. Her legacies fizzled out with her fever. Sunday morning was full of everyone out cold in various positions on various pieces of furniture. Nine was finally glad that it was over, all the side effects seemed to be ebbing away slowly. If only that was all that had ebbed away. How was he going to break it to Riley?

But she did wake up that afternoon and wanted something to eat. Nine nearly jumped out of his skin at such a simple request. He'd gotten used to the requests that she needed the puke bucket or help getting to the bathroom. He left the room and quietly made his way to the kitchen.

All his friends were sleeping in the living room. Malcolm was drooling away peacefully on a couch. One of his arms hung off and dangled, fingertips touching the floor. Lexa having deemed the other couch to short for her was sprawled out on the floor with a throw pillow and blanket. Taylor was snoring away on the other couch rather loudly. He never knew how loud Taylor snored until now. Out of all of them, she slept the hardest and Lexa was the lightest. He grabbed a slice of bread and a glass of water before going back to his daughter.

Riley sat up and graciously grabbed the slice of bread. He just sat on the end of her bed as she nibbled on it until it was gone. He handed her the glass of water and she took small sips until it was all gone.

"Thanks, dad." She smiled. Her voice still soft and weak.

"Do you need anything else? Do you feel alright? I can go wake Taylor if you want." Nine nervously questioned.

"Dad." Riley chuckled. "Relax, I'm fine. Go back to sleep."

Nine relaxed a little at his daughter's smile. He went to go back to his vigil on the floor when she rolled her eyes at him.

"Go sleep in your actual bed dad."

"Well your no fun." Nine smiled.

Riley giggled softly and tried to throw a pillow at him but she must've either been tired or weak because she barely managed to pick it up.

"Go back to sleep, my little troublemaker." Nine chuckled.

He quietly shut the door behind him and came face to face with Lexa. Her black hair was all messed up but her dark eyes held the intensity of a hawk. He placed a hand over his heart to steady the heart that just tried jumping up into his throat.

"What the crap Lexa?" He muttered.

"I heard you get up. Is she okay?" Lexa softly questioned.

"She's fine. Even kicked me out of her room." Nine chuckled. Lexa smiled in the dim hallway.

"Go get some sleep. We all deserve it." Lexa suggested.

"Geez have I been that cranky this week?" Nine teasingly inquired.

"Oh, you have no idea professor Nine." Lexa laughed.

She turned on heel and walked back to the living room. Nine chuckled and shook his head before going into his bedroom.

What a week it'd been. But now the storm had passed. Well at least this storm, there was a bigger one still building though. Without her legacies how will she handle the storm to come? He knows the refugee camp may be in many pieces now but they weren't going to take this lying down much longer. War was coming and this time he didn't know who'd win.

It'd been two weeks since the incident had passed and things were settling back to normal. But then, Nine walked into the gym only to have to avoid a battle zone of Riley and the computer. He decided to avoid it all and walked up and along the walls until he dropped down onto the observation deck. Malcolm was at the main frame of the gym's computer overseeing its operations.

Not even noticing Nine, Malcolm walked over to the railing and hollered at Riley.

"Level 25!" He then just observed her from the railing.

"How come every time I leave you with someone who has no legacies you fire up the six squad sim?" Nine teased, walking over to be next to Malcolm.

"Hey, it's a great way to train." Malcolm shrugged.

"Besides just like Cecilia she has a lot of pent-up rage. So I set it to the first setting and let the AI do its thing."

Nine chuckled. "The simulation is set to a scenario where you have to fight off hundred of EG agents right? Complete with scramblers and all of the fun stuff?"

"Lexa and you are just plain sadistic when you build new programs aren't you?" Malcolm inquired with a smirk.

"Not sadistic we prefer to be called realistic." Nine corrected.

Malcolm shook his head and laughed. He then readjusted his glasses and went back to watching Riley.

"She made it to level twenty-five? Without her legacies?" Nine questioned curiously.

"Nine, you've been training her to fight since she could walk. I remember her as a little three-year-old bumbling around here learning how to throw a punch. How every time she did punch you the effort made her fall over on her butt."

Nine smiled at the old memory and seemed to relax a bit.

"Remember when she was six and practicing roundabout kicks on the dummy? She landed wrong and broke her left ankle? Taylor healed it and told her to rest it for a few days?" Malcolm inquired.

"And the very next day she was right back at it with the dummy." Nine warmly answered.

"Admit Nine, no matter how many bumps, bruises, and broken bones she gets right back up and continues fighting. No matter how many times she's fallen over the years she gets right back up and fights. She's persistent in that way. This is just another setback. She's not letting it stop her though." Malcolm pointed out.

Nine smiled and watched her daughter take out the last of the simulation with her dagger and string of green crystals. She was getting really good at using that in combat. Even without legacies his inheritance still worked for her.

Lexa chalked it up to they can take her legacies but they can't take Lorien out of her. Taylor agreed that genetically speaking she's still part Loric. Riley cheered as the last of the agents fell. Malcolm went back to his computers and his jaw dropped.

"Two hours, twelve minutes and thirty-five seconds. She not only beat Cecilia's record of three hours, one minute and seven seconds but the six students that the program was made for. Their record was two hours, twenty-six minutes, and thirty seconds." He walked back over to the railing to tell her. "You just set a new record on the machine!"

Riley squealed with delight. "Oh yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" And then she started dancing, well it's probably considered a form of dancing somewhere.

Nine was leaning on the railing laughing.

"Was there ever any doubt that she was yours?" Malcolm teased.

"Nope, she's definitely mine." Nine beamed. Riley was still down in the gym doing her victory dance and whooping in delight.

Riley perched herself on a stool by the island as her father and his friends went to work. Nine was over by the coffee maker making the next batch of coffee. Taylor and Malcolm were both at the whiteboard looking very thoughtful.

"What if we temporarily assume that it acts like a virus? Viruses reprogram the host cell and make them reproduce it." Taylor suggested.

"If it acts like a virus then it has to run its course. Its course is a week but viruses don't usually do permanent damage do they?" Malcolm questioned. He started writing things on the board.

"Chickenpox can in extreme cases cause scarring, mono can cause damage to the nervous system, and there are multiple more examples but you get the point." Taylor pointed out.

Lexa smacked the counter and swore. "More info for our debate?" Malcolm inquired.

"No, whatever they did to make the cure is the most secretive of secrets apparently. Another server cracked and nothing in it at all." Lexa huffed in annoyance.

"How many servers could they possibly have? I thought Malcolm had a lot." Nine remarked. Malcolm shot him a glare.

"Only someone with something to hide would have so many servers. That way it's like searching for a needle in a haystack." Taylor reasoned.

"Like us." Malcolm quipped.

"So that means they also got something to hide then right?" Riley questioned.

She'd been quietly nursing her hot chocolate and observing them. Her inky black hair was loose around her shoulders and her bright blue eyes had the usual sparkle back in them.

"Do we even know how long they've been working on this? It had to take years." Malcolm sighed.

"I haven't found that yet," Lexa replied. She was back to typing away on her laptop.

"If they've hated human Garde as long as you say they have, they could've started this right after the academy opened," Riley commented.

"And we don't have all the time in the world to figure this out." Malcolm groaned.

"There's the positivity we all need." Riley drawled.

"Coffee. I think we need more coffee and to take some deep breaths." Nine suggested. Riley snorted into her cup. This was going to be another long night.

Sidney was being educated on a new card game called spoons. It was actually a much more violent game than she'd realized. Kat had already broken Casey's hand three times while going for a spoon. They'd broken two spoons and bent the third one. The spoons were made of plastic but still, was breaking them necessary?

Although Casey had also been the reason for five false alarms by making one of the spoons jerk. The term used was dirty cheater by Cecilia and filthy Mogadorian by Kat.

Gia was yet again refusing to play cards but preferred the company of her tech. Gia she'd decided was a very cranky and antisocial person. It only was getting worse since they hadn't gotten any word from their friends in the academy in a month and nothing from the twins in three weeks. But today she seemed to be looking at more articles from what Sidney could tell. She heard a spoon clatter and snatched up a spoon like everyone else besides Adelina.

"Dang it!" Adelina laughed. She threw her cards down and moved out of the circle they had formed on the formed.

"Ya gotta be quicker than that." Henri teased. He got smacked with a spoon by some invisible force.

Then they all heard Gia swear.

"No no no. This isn't happening. It isn't possible. I take every precaution, this can't be happening." Gia muttered, furiously typing away.

"Problem G?" Kat inquired.

"I hate the government!" Gia exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table. "We move now. I've been hacked." She closed her laptop and flipped it over. She yanked something from its underbelly and reopened her laptop. "You heard the lady let's move people! Any and all traces to be removed!" Casey commanded.

"What about the mattresses?" Sidney questioned.

"Sink em in the bay. It's about twenty feet from the entrance to this place." Kat suggested.

"Chase and Eden have at it. You seem to share legacies and a love for destruction." Cecilia offered.

Chase high fived the blonde girl next to him.

"Telekinesis?" He questioned.

"Like I showed you," Cecilia answered.

"Duh." The girl scoffed. Two mattresses floated up off the ground and into their uplifted arms.

"And charge!" Chase commanded. He and his little sister ran for the entrance with them. Cecilia laughed.

Kat tossed Gia a small blue pouch before packing. Gia opened the pouch and telekinetically herded the solar system into it. Casey had started packing Riley's stuff and his stuff up in a bag. Kat was by Adelina and Henri's remaining stuff and packing. Gia used her telekinesis to unplug the scanner and wrap it up in its cord. It was coming with for it was unaffected. But how would they all move undetected? Where would they go? Sanctuaries were few and far between for them.


	14. Chapter 14

Part 6

Malcolm was busy saving everything onto his hidden server before heading for his chemistry class. But when he went to back it up onto the secondary server it gave him an error message. Server not found.

Impossible Gia always made sure her laptop could connect for him. He refreshed it and tried again. But again it flashed server not found.

He frowned and looked at the screen in confusion. He repeated the process a third time, third time's the charm he hoped. But still the server not found message.

He sat back and wondered about why it couldn't be found. There could be various scenarios, either they were busted and it would only be hours before he got another call from Seattle to come collect his grandchildren. If they captured them then maybe it was only a matter of time before they found the backup server and trace it back to him. Or they were caught but escaped and Gia might have escaped with the files from his server. But a knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come on professor, you don't want to be late." Riley teased, poking her head in.

He knew she was just in gym class, only one without legacies but still held her ground.

"Look who's talking Mrs tardy." Malcolm retorted, gathering his stuff.

"Only to Linda's class, can you blame me?" Riley inquired.

Malcolm laughed and followed her out. "You nurse a severe disdain for that woman don't you?"

"It's one thing to constantly be shrinking other people's heads, especially when they don't want you to. But now to treat me like I'm gonna snap at any given moment is a new low for that woman." Riley venomously spat. Malcolm chuckled.

"And didn't Susan get the memo? Getting legacies and running for my life meant I never had to worry about chemistry again." Riley groaned. Malcolm smiled.

"Don't worry Ri, the next chapter is all about electrons."

Riley rolled her bright blue eyes and laughed.

But Malcolm was still contemplating the lost server. He knew how to find out. Hopefully it worked and it was just a technical malfunction.

She needed to beat Malcolm up for his encouraging comments. First of all the next chapter was about acids and bases, second of all she failed the test he'd just handed back, and thirdly she just all around hated chemistry.

But Malcolm seemed more distracted than usual. He gave up teaching after tripping over his terms five different times and gave them time to do their homework. It was pretty easy though, identifying which compound was an acid and which was a base.

That was how she'd spent the whole last half hour before now. Currently she was dreading the following period, Dr. Linda's group therapy session. On her schedule it was called being a positive force in the world. In reality they put everyone they've captured in one room and have them talk about why they ran. It's all about making them feel safe and realizing the government doesn't mean to harm them. That this is actually helping them. 'For the betterment of society'.

Riley was the only one without legacies in there and it was degrading. The whole stupid period is with or without legacies. Sadly the period was over and everyone was leaving. With a wince she cleaned up her stuff and loaded it into her backpack.

"Riley, can I have a word?" Malcolm questioned. She froze, his tone was cool and harsh. He never has done that to her. If they needed to talk they'd talk later in private. What was his deal?

Riley shouldered her backpack and approached his desk.

"So Riley what happened on this last test?" Malcolm inquired.

Students were slowly trickling out of the room.

"Malcolm you know I don't understand chemistry. It just doesn't come easy to me." Riley pleaded.

Then the last student left the room and Malcolm's whole demeanor changed.

"The door Riley." Malcolm whispered.

Riley walked over and closed the door.

"The blind and lock it." Malcolm added.

Riley gave him a questioning look before doing as he said.

"Lexa has already taken care of the surveillance cameras." Malcolm reassured.

"So this isn't about my chem test?" Riley questioned cautiously.

"Riley, I honestly know you lack in expertise in chemistry and offer to give you some tutoring when I come over for our late night meetings. But this has absolutely nothing to do with it. My backup server can't be found and I fear for your friends. Gia's laptop is my backup server and if it can't be found that means that something has possibly gone wrong with them." Malcolm sighed, burying his face in his hands.

"You want me to use my red crystal to try and contact them." Riley finished, dropping her backpack on the floor.

"If you could please. That way we know they're at least safe." Malcolm admitted. She knew he really meant so he knew they were safe but she didn't correct him.

"How long since you've been able to find the backup server?" Riley questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I last accessed it two days ago. It could've disappeared anywhere in between now and then." Malcolm shrugged, his face looked worn from age and worry.

"Got it. So you are going to make me late to Linda's class to get a status report from your granddaughters?" Riley smirked, blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I figured you wouldn't mind." Malcolm chuckled.

Riley reached in her pocket and pulled out her red crystal. It gave off an unearthly glow as it recognized a Garde's presence.

"Six, come in Six." Riley called into the crystal. There was a tense silence as they await a response.

"Hera? You there?" Riley asked.

"Careful with those! They are a delicate object! A female voice barked. "Eden please release Lorien!"

"Sixty?" Riley inquired.

"This is umm… what's my code name?" A very familiar female voice questioned.

"The most wanted EG escapee new and improved." Casey drawled.

"Can I be ten?" Sidney questioned.

"No! Save that for her family." Kat argued.

"How about Artemis and then we can save this conversation for later?" Riley suggested, trying not to laugh.

"Artemis I like it. What can I do for ya Nine?" Sidney inquired.

"Bill Nye wants to know what happened to the goods Sixty is carrying." Riley answered.

"Bill Nye can relax, I have the hard drive safe and sound. It's just not in anything currently." Gia replied.

"Why did you remove it?" Malcolm inquired.

"We were hacked in Seattle. We are now in a new location that is undisclosed currently. I just still believe it was a the _stupidest move ever_." Gia huffed, enunciating the end of her statement. .

"Which is why it's the safest." Cecilia argued.

"Alright children. Everyone safe?" Riley pressed, glad they couldn't see her grin.

"Physically safe. Casey is going to be learning the painful side effects of the healing stone in a few minutes." Kat answered.

"Do I dare ask why?" Riley chuckled.

"Cecilia was teaching Sidney some moves with her energy manipulation and Casey's big mouth got him in trouble." Kat explained.

"I was just pointing out that Cecilia is basically a dangerous laser beam and we don't need two of them!" Casey protested.

"So he was the target." Kat finished.

"I recommend giving him something to bite down on. It's gonna sting a little." Riley teased.

"Bite me Athena." Casey called.

"Love you two Hera." Riley replied.

With that she put the crystal back in her pocket. It'd sever the connection once she wasn't touching it.

"They seem to be safe wherever they are." Riley replied.

"But I didn't hear Adelina and Henri. Also why would they be using the healing stone when one of the twins could heal him easily?" Malcolm pointed out.

Riley frowned at the thought. He made a good point about that.

"Want me to call them back?" Riley offered.

"No, do it later. You should go see Linda." Malcolm replied. He hastily scribbled her a late pass and she was off to the worst class ever. Maybe then she'd get to go privately spar with her father or even a dummy to take anger out on after suffering through Linda's class.

Riley entered the gym expecting to find her father, not a bunch of teenage boys screwing around. She forgot about his class with this months graduating students. They'd all turn eighteen this month and get to leave this place for whatever comes next. She went to leave but she felt a telekinetic tug on her shirt.

"Hey there. Your Nine's daughter right?" The biggest one inquired.

"Yeah, so?" Riley retorted.

She was used to stupid teenage boys, they are everywhere.

"Where's your padre?" He asked.

"I could ask you the same." Riley replied, crossing her arms casually.

"She's quite the feisty little thing ain't she?" Another boy chuckled.

"Since you seem to be so tough why don't you show us some moves? I doubt any of us could beat the daughter of the great and powerful Nine." The main one taunted.

He was egging her on and she wasn't gonna let him win. Waste of her time really.

"I don't feel like sending all of you to the infirmary so I'll just leave." Riley told them casually.

"Not so fast little girl." He warned, eyes narrowing with anger.

Riley sensed another one behind her and jumped out of the way. He face planted right where she'd been standing.

"Now gentlemen you don't want to make my father angry." Riley cautioned. She planted her feet firmly and ready her body to have to fight these knuckleheads.

Nothing to worry about imagine they're just like the computer simulations. Except unlike the fake EG agents and simulated Mogadorians she fought these boys had something she didn't, legacies.

A boy charged at her from behind, she simply stepped aside to let him join his friend on the floor. One of the big guys henchman charged her head on. She grabbed his arm and flipped him. The left one made an attempt but she tripped him and he also face planted, too easy. The main guy now frowned as the group dispersed.

"Alright playtime is over. Let's have some real fun now." He smirked.

That's when he disappeared for view. Of course he has invisibility because the universe just happens to hate her. She got a hard jab in the side, how do you defend yourself from someone you can't see?

 _Use your other senses_. Echoed into her head except it wasn't one of her own thoughts.

She froze listening for his footsteps or breathing. Her skin tingled waiting to feel a sign that he was close. She felt a quick breath of air on her back. She quickly flipped to stand on her hands and kicked behind her. There was a grunt when she made contact with something.

"There you are." She mumbled.

She charged and started beating her invisible foe with everything she had. Suddenly her throat was squeezed by some invisible grip.

Her foe materialized and she saw it was his meaty hands that were slowly crushing her trachea. She tried to break away but she was losing strength. But nonetheless she continued to squirm in his grasp. With a grunt in annoyance he slammed her into the hardwood floor and resumed crushing her throat.

She reached out with everything, anything she had to fight back but there was nothing to help her. No allies, no legacies, no weapons. She started getting dizzy from lack of oxygen and her eyes grew heavy. She wasn't going to go down like this. There had to be something she could do. But she had run out of options.

Then she felt it, the sharpening of her senses, her whole body tensing, the crackle of energy in the air. It reminded her of the day at the airport before she was caught. Right before Cecilia goes nuclear and lays waste to everything. Her father has told her that Cecilia was too powerful for EG to contain or control. That's why they are feverently hunting for her so they can cure the biggest threat to them.

It was all just so unfair and cruel in the end. Why can't they just be left alone? Riley was brought out of her end of life thought process by the boy being propelled away by some invisible force. Actually all ten boys were sprawled on the ground ten feet away. She flopped to the ground completely exhausted. She decided to focus on her breathing. Then her father and Malcolm walked in, just after the fun.

"What in the name of Lorien?" Nine demanded. He rushed over to her.

"Are you okay?" He questioned, blue eyes glistening with worry.

"I think. What just happened?" Riley mumbled.

Malcolm observed the scene with a victorious grin. "The false hope theory is no longer false."

Nine frowned at Riley before looking at his rather shaken class.

"Malcolm take her up into your lab for now. She seems very weak." Nine decided. Riley had to agree, she hadn't felt this weak since she got the cure. Malcolm helped her stand up and they hobbled up to his lab.


	15. Chapter 15

Riley sat on the island watching them again. Although this time she was slurping down a bowl of spaghetti for dinner. She was starving this evening for some reason that Malcolm explained with science. She frowned as her bowl was empty again. The blonde gentleman at the stove chuckled. "Either Malcolm is right or you're going through a growth spurt."

"Her body is craving energy after the episode earlier. If she is truly got a legacy past the cure then the possibilities are endless." Malcolm excitedly explained.

"Or she's a teenager who's just hungry." Taylor chuckled.

The man took her empty bowl and spooned more spaghetti onto it from the pot on the stove. He handed it back to her with a friendly smile.

"Thanks, John." Riley thanked before digging into her third bowl.

"Is the garlic bread ready yet?" Malcolm questioned.

"When the timer goes off it will be." John chuckled.

"So the voice in my head earlier," Riley started.

"Was me giving you advice on the current situation." John nodded. Riley shrugged and shoveled another fork full of spaghetti in her mouth.

"So she now has a legacy?" Lexa questioned.

"Has too, nothing else could explain what happened in the gym." Malcolm huffed.

"But the cure is permanent. She shouldn't be able to have a legacy." Taylor argued.

"But humans are fallible and this is a human-made cure. Maybe Riley's biology has found a way to undo it and this is the first crack." Malcolm pointed out.

"You said that Riley had a legacy still waiting to come out and if it did who knows what it could do?" Lexa inquired, eyebrow raised at her insane friend.

"Wait you knew this could happen and you didn't tell me?" Nine demanded.

"I was under orders to not tell you a word or I'd find photos from that one spring break plastered across the academy." Malcolm hung his head in shame.

"Spring break?" Taylor inquired with a grin.

"What are they of you drunk and naked doing some scandalous task?" Riley smirked.

"Well if it's the photo I'm thinking you got at least two outta three." John quipped.

"How do you know?" Malcolm exclaimed.

"Remember I'm best friends with your son. He tells me things." John casually shrugged.

"How'd he find out?" Malcolm demanded.

"Where do you think Gia got her tech skills from? It wasn't me." Lexa chuckled.

Malcolm buried his burning face in his wrinkly hands.

"Okay back to the topic at hand. Malcolm's already embarrassed enough." Taylor clapped her hands to get their attention.

"Could she even repeat it? Maybe it was just a residual fluke?" Taylor shrugged.

"It's been a little over a month since she got the cure, I highly doubt that was a residual fluke." Malcolm scoffed.

"Besides she doesn't have the energy manipulation legacy. At least not yet." Lexa added.

"Maybe we've been thinking about how the cure works all wrong. What if it's not a virus or any kind of disease. What if it goes deeper?" Taylor inquired. "Deeper how?" Malcolm inquired.

"It attacks the very source of legacies,"

"But no one has ever figured out where legacies come from. Believe me, I'm pretty sure if there was one Setrákus Ra would've found it a long time ago and used it against us." Nine firmly reminded.

"What about Phiri Dun-Ra? He found a way to give Mogadorians legacies. She was his prize out of all of them." Lexa inquired.

"Six and Marina remember her fondly." John nodded.

"But she has a point. He did find a way to give Mogadorians legacies." Nine admitted.

"But only because he ripped them out of groups of innocent human Garde. Another one of his awful experiments. None of which can help us right now." Lexa argued.

"Malcolm you were researching to see if legacies were genetic. Could that have something to do with it?" Riley asked.

"That'd be like getting rid of a physical feature. Like curing everyone with red hair to stop them from having naturally red hair. It's nearly impossible. They'd have to locate the specific gene or genes responsible for legacies." Malcolm scoffed.

"Energy manipulation though, blast radius of ten feet would have to be energy manipulation on a much smaller scale than usual." Malcolm walked back over to the board and erased their old evidence.

"Sidney's body has unusually high levels of ATP in it naturally but after say a training session with her energy manipulation legacies it drops significantly. Like after one of her nuclear episodes her ATP levels drop dangerously low." He thought aloud.

"Your point?" Lexa inquired.

"Patience." Malcolm scolded.

"Your DNA holds codes for the production of everything the body needs. Genetic diseases are caused by a malfunction in the DNA coding. This causes the body to for example not produce enough of a certain protein causing things like allergies and such. Riley is on her fourth bowl of pasta because her body is craving ATP and the carbs in that spaghetti are refueling her body because she used it all up. If the cure attacks the gene then it's not telling the body to produce certain proteins needed for the body to handle legacies. So her hiccup in the gym was a legacy that inadvertently burned up all her ATP hence why she was so weak was because her body had so little energy because ATP is the primary source of energy for the body which is why she's consuming so many carbs." Malcolm explained excitedly. He was madly scribbling on the board.

"That actually is the best theory yet. We may crack this yet." Taylor encouraged.

"Our first breakthrough!" Malcolm congratulated. Taylor held out her hand for a high five.

"Riley you are a genius. Thank you so much for reminding me of that." Malcolm thanked.

"Not a problem." She spoke with a mouth full of spaghetti.

"Swallow before you talk." Nine scolded.

"Chew then swallow," John added with a grin.

Nine rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Just in case she took you literally. She is yours." John replied.

"Now what is so important you had to come here? This is like the last place you should be right now." Nine questioned.

"You know I love to live on the edge Nine." John teased.

"I believe your wife and Malcolm's daughter in law have both scolded you for such a thing." Nine nodded.

"Well for one the academy still isn't equipped to handle invisible flying men. But I'm here to deliver something for Riley and Taylor." John explained, digging in his pocket for something. He pulled out two loralite pendants. "Part of the first batch, individually tested by yours truly."

"First batch of what?" Riley questioned, grabbing one of the pendants.

"Oh yeah, you haven't been told probably. Your cohorts are working on a way to reunite the refugee camp. This is a little back door they'll be given." John explained.

"These pendants will bring you to our cave. Directly to the meeting chamber. All you gotta do is imagine the Himalayas." John spoke casually and simply.

"Why doesn't my father or the others get one?" Riley inquired.

"Because they already got one way before any of you were a thought." John chuckled.

"Weeks before the academy opened even." Nine smiled.

"You staying the night?" Lexa inquired.

"Nah I gotta go south and make a delivery to Riley's cohorts. Besides, I gotta catch up with BK." John answered.

"Tell Casey I say hi. And tell Sidney I say hi too. Make sure Kat's keeping Casey in line for me." Riley told him.

John gave a hearty laugh. "Is this Casey more than a friend?" John wiggled an eyebrow.

"Get outta here." Riley scoffed.

"Ooh. Should I kiss him for you too?" John teased.

Nine laughed at his friend and his daughter's embarrassment.

"Don't you have a delivery to make?" Riley huffed.

"I see I'm not wanted anymore." John feigned hurt.

"Nice to see ya again Johnny. You gonna sleep with the refugees tonight?" Nine inquired.

"I might actually fly home after my final delivery and sleep through tomorrow. Don't want Marina to worry." John shrugged.

"You do know your not on EG's most wanted list right?" Riley quipped.

"But my children are so they could capture me and use me as bait to lure the twins outta hiding," John remarked.

"Excellent point. Also excellent spaghetti." Riley nodded encouragingly.

"Glad to hear it was good. You ate all of it. Every last noddle." John chuckled.

"Travel safe," Malcolm replied.

"All of you stay safe too. I hope you can crack the cure." John responded. "Oh yeah, we just gotta isolate one gene in the hundreds of millions of genes in the human DNA sequence." Malcolm drawled.

"Sounds like fun. See ya guys." John waved. Then John Smith left them for the night sky.

"I say tomorrow morning we see if Riley can recreate the legacy and study her chemistry to help us figure it out," Taylor suggested.

"Then we're gonna need a lot more pasta." Nine added.

She knew they were going to see if they could replicate what happened yesterday but she didn't expect it to be so early in the morning. But yet here she was in the gym at six a.m. with Malcolm, Lexa, Taylor, and her father. Malcolm had already taken blood samples from her. Not just one though, she wasn't that lucky, four different blood samples and then pricked her finger for a blood sugar test. Then Taylor took her temperature, blood pressure, breathing rate, reflexes, sight, and hearing. Just when she thought they were done with all their pre-trial run testing Malcolm secured dozens of little sensors to her body so they could monitor her vitals during the trial run. Heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, core temperature, and vital organ function. This was all before she and her father even started. Taylor made sure the small prick from his needles healed completely before now.

"So how did you do it before?" Nine questioned.

"As I said, I didn't do it intentionally. It just randomly happened. Like something finally clicked into place in me." Riley explained exasperatedly.

"What did you feel right before it happened?" Nine inquired, cracking his neck.

"I don't know how to describe it." Riley rubbed her arm awkwardly.

"Just try. For me. I know you can do this Ri. Lorien doesn't make mistakes." Nine encouraged. Riley could've sworn she heard Lexa comment on that but couldn't make out the words.

"It was like a piece of me was missing and then suddenly that missing piece slid into place and everything sharpened. All my senses became heightened at that moment. Then the air electrified just like it did at the airport. Right before Cecilia started wiping out whole rows of soldiers. And then it just happened. Next thing I knew all the boys were knocked back." Riley stared at the ground, frowning at her green and blue sneakers.

"Okay, that's a start. Can you try and summon that energy again?" Nine suggested, blue eyes full of worry and concern. Riley frowned at her hands.

"I'll try."

She closed her eyes and looked for that sensation again. The electrifying of the air, the crackle of air, anything to help her. Nothing. She had absolutely nothing.

"It's not there." She groaned in frustration. "Maybe it was just a fluke. I can't feel it currently." Her shoulders slumped as she stood there biting her lip.

"It's okay Ri, we'll get there. Just don't give up. I didn't raise a quitter." Nine encouraged.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"Done?" Lexa called down.

"Yep." Nine answered. He started strolling to the stairs.

"That's all? I got up this early for nothing?" Riley demanded.

Nine smiled at her, it was a mischievous grin that should've concerned her but it didn't occur to her to be concerned. That was until the dagger came flying at her. On instinct she held her hand to stop it, forgetting she no longer had telekinesis. She closed her eyes waiting for the searing pain of it meeting her hand, but it never came. She cracked one eye open to see the dagger floating a few feet away. She opened both eyes and stared at it in confusion. That's when it dropped to the ground with a clatter.

"Alright, Bill Nye what's the explanation for that?" Nine called up the stairs.

"One crack leads to more?" Malcolm questioned, voice quivering like he wasn't confident in his answer.

"Two different legacy flares in two days. This just keeps getting more and more interesting." Lexa commented, leaning against the railing with a casual grin.

"Telekinesis is today's choice of legacy, we can still work with that." Nine chuckled.

"Obviously whatever this is it responds to stress and force. So let's use those to our advantage." Malcolm called down.

"You have your ball Ri?" Nine inquired, blue eyes sparkling with mischief. Riley produced one green ball covered in bumps from her pocket.

"Let's start simple, produce the spikes." Nine suggested. Riley threw it up on the air and flicked her hand. It floated in midair, metal spikes sticking out of it. She cautiously moved her hand left and the ball went left. She slowly moved her hand right and the ball went right.

"Riley, are you feeling nervous?" Malcolm inquired.

"That is an understatement," Riley answered him.

"Just relax and focus on the ball." Nine gently advised.

Riley flexed her hand and threw it forward. The ball took off towards her father. Never pausing the motion her father sent it right back. She tried to stop it but it just kept coming. With a yelp, she dived to the side, out of its path.

"You okay Ri?" Nine questioned.

"I'm good." Riley shakily answered.

"Riley you gotta relax, all your vitals are spiking." Malcolm informed them. Riley frowned and rubbed her hands together.

"I can't do this! It feels so weird." Riley exclaimed.

"Riley, close your eyes and listen to my voice." Nine calmly suggested.

"Can we just stop?" Riley whined.

"Riley relax. You've been given a second chance, don't waste it." Nine explained.

"Nine, let her go. Riley do you want to take a break? Maybe get something to eat and drink before we continue?" Taylor suggested.

"Yeah, let's do that." Riley agreed, still shaking with worry.

"Come on Ri let's go see what we can steal from the mess hall this early in the morning," Taylor replied, putting an arm around Riley and walking her out.

"Well, I believe that went well." Malcolm sighed, sagging into his chair. Nine trudged up the stairs onto the deck with them.

"You just gotta give her time. She seems very unsure of herself currently." Lexa pointed out.

"Unsure of herself, that is not a trait commonly found in my daughter." Nine sighed.

"Don't worry Nine, let her take a breather. She will pull through this stronger than before. She just has to remember to relax and let her legacies function like a second nature. She's done it before and she can do it again." Lexa reassured.

"Remember Nine, your daughter is tenacious, she never stays down for long." Malcolm smiled.


End file.
